To understand who we are
by Ark19
Summary: Life is but a journey, we believe we know ourselves, but the truth is we don't know ourselves fully. Is when we test ourselves and try new things that we get to understand who we are. An odd pair embarks on a journey to understand who they are. To travel is to learn, and to learn is to live. The last Oovi-kat and a simple man take on the trip to live and learn.
1. Chapter 1

**Own nothing of Riot or League of Legends, I only own my OC, if I owned anything of Riot I will probably bring another game of Mechs vs Minions.**

**To understand who we are.**

_Prologue.- The therapist and the shapeshifter speak of purpose and success. Sho´ma and Co-´om Se-Henna._

In the road that took to the Ionian capital, an odd pair was walking. One wearing a coat of brown color that kept him warm, he carried a bag with one hand, and his left hand held a cane that helped him walk through the limp of the fake leg he had. Long and messy hair hid his face that wore a pair of glasses.

The other was a girl of many colors, her hair seemed feathered as it fell to her shoulders in a rain of blue and purple by the end. She wore a robe that hid her body from view but by the back of it a tail was visible.

"So, what is success?" He found himself sighing as he felt the girl was playing with his hair behind his back. She would often do that, ask something she heard before and try to braid his hair. He didn't mind answering her questions.

"Think of it as a poisonous tree… you go through its branches so you can get things… but the higher you go, you may end up being unable to get down, and you can get so high, you never will get to go down to take what you worked so hard in the first place." He heard her soft humming and could feel a ribbon getting into place. He would be unbraiding his hair later.

"So… why try to be so successful instead of being happy?" It was his turn to hum.

"People confuse those concepts. Being successful is not the same as being happy, and at times happiness can bring success or even be considered success, but success alone isn't happiness." He heard the girl hum before he felt a hug behind him.

"I think I like happiness more than success… I don't need success to have you with me! You are already here!" He heard her giggles and found himself turning to ruffle her hair.

Neeko was smiling widely at him. She offered her giggles as she pointed to his face.

"You are still too pretty to be a boy, Cid." He sighed and poked her cheek.

"Release me you reckless shape shifter." The comment came out without malice; it was their small game. Neeko released Cid who kept walking, the girl walking next to him.

"What do you prefer Cid. Success or happiness?" He chuckled.

"Happiness of course." She nodded.

"Because happiness can be a success, but success can't be happiness right?" He nodded as they walked the road.

"You are getting it." She smiled. She liked to hear him say that, she enjoyed his praise. Ever since they met months ago on the sea, they had just become inseparable.

And even though the man who called himself a doctor of the mind wouldn't admit it, he had come to be dependent of the shapeshifter humor and innocence. She didn't mind his sarcastic nature or his blunt comments.

And the shapeshifter who had lost a home had become happy ever since they met in the sea. She had lost two homes. Her ancestral home, and a friend she had made. For a moment she wondered if her destiny was to be alone. Then he appeared and didn't leave her side since then. He offered her to travel with him…

* * *

_It was in a boat that was going towards Ionia that a man saw a girl. Normally such a girl wouldn't catch his attention, he really wasn't one to look at girls too much either. But the fact the girl he was seeing was the same he saw enter inside the ship to sleep… well, that caught his attention. _

_He approached the girl with a slight nod of his head._

"_We got a nice night don't we?" The girl looked at him with surprise before smiling and nodding._

"_So… silent and beautiful? Or is it the silence one makes to hide a secret?" The girl looked at him with curiosity before smiling widely at him._

"_Maybe…." The voice he heard was all the proof he needed. He smiled at her._

"_You know the trick in impersonating someone, is doing their voice too." The girl smile deflated slightly before puffing her cheeks._

"_Her voice was too weird." He chuckled._

"_That's having an accent. Considering she came from Demacia is normal." The girl looked at him with a raised eyebrow._

"_And you are telling me this because?" He shrugged. _

"_Just because. I like chatting. And so late at night is hard to have a good conversation." The girl smiled again before offering her hand at him. The image of her clothes and body faded, revealing a girl with purple hair wearing a traveling robe. _

"_Neeko." He nodded shaking her hand._

"_Cid." She smiled at their contact and pointed to his hair._

"_Cid. Are you a boy or a girl?" Ah, a question he was used to getting. _

"_Boy." She giggled._

"_Too pretty to be a boy." She stretched her hand touching his hair. After that Neeko changed again looking like him this time._

"_Oh, your Sho´ma is… comfortable. Is Neeko handsome?" She spoke making him shrug._

"_Don't know Neeko. You seem to be to pretty to be called handsome." He felt surreal at seeing his reflection puffing its cheeks before the image faded and Neeko came back crossing her arms._

"_You don't need to be rude." He nodded._

"_I am often told I could be more kind. But I have found being blunt is easier. Plus my work demands me to be truthful with people." She looked curiously at him._

"_What are you?" He sighed._

"_A doctor of the mind." She nodded, her eyes shining._

"_So you fix minds? That is cool." He smiled._

"_Cool is the fact you can shape shift into anyone with everything they have around them." The praise made the girl seemingly stand straighter as she crossed her arms._

"_Neeko is strong. She knows it." Cid chuckled at her way of speaking._

"_I can see that. So where are you going Neeko?" The question seemed to deflate her. An idea came to his mind. Something foolish, and that he wouldn't normally offer anyone. _

"_I am going to the capital of Ionia. After that I will be visiting other cities… do you want to go with me?" The girl eyes shined before she nodded._

* * *

That sealed the deal. Their trip in the boat had a few deviations before reaching Ionia. But they did. During the trip, Neeko got used at his sarcastic nature, and he got used at her playful attitude. He wasn't one for close contact with people, but Neeko was all about touching people. He was one to stay put, she couldn't stay still for three seconds. Such things had forced Cid to adapt and find ways to make sure Neeko didn't run off or get lost.

He had seen her powers, and he was sure she could defend herself, but he also knew the girl could get lost easily.

During the last month, she had come to ask him many questions, ideas and concepts she wanted to know more about. Needless to say, the journey had become quite interesting for both of them.

Cid found himself thinking much more, and for once his messy hair wasn't as messy, so he thanked Neeko for that. What he didn't thank her for was the times he would wake up with her coiled over him.

Cid understood Neeko was more empathically tuned than others. She could read emotions and feel them in ways he didn't. He had become rather cold to certain actions. But Neeko brought out sensations which he would have preferred to go without in his life.

He wondered in his thoughts if he would be as bad as always if it wasn't for her presence. She was changing him.

He didn't know it. But his own presence with Neeko changed her. She was starting to understand concepts that seemed foreign, acts and people suddenly made more sense in their actions. She was understanding what went through the thoughts of people. Together with her ability to get people naturally, now she knew what they were thinking and feeling with little effort.

Both were growing thanks to the other being there.

"Cid? Why are we going to the capital?" They had been going at this for two months. And she had just asked.

"Really? You are curious about it just now?" Neeko shrugged, an answer she had taken from his book of answers.

"We are going to see a girl, this is my most important work as I was requested by Lady Karma." Neeko nodded. She didn't know who Lady Karma was. But she didn't like the idea.

"You are not going to leave Neeko for another girl right?" Cid found himself laughing at this. Neeko puffed her cheeks and he understood his slip.

"Wait… you are serious?" Neeko nodded, a small sad expression in her face.

"Humans find girls all the time, they go and leave with them. You even told me once how men go with younger girls, abandoning their partners…" The ruffling of her hair surprised Neeko breaking her sadness.

"That is different, those people were trying to get something they didn't have and wouldn't get either in their escapades. I am not going to leave you alone partner." Neeko smiled before hugging him.

"Neeko. Release me you reckless shape shifter." He spoke with tiredness as he couldn't walk with her hugging him tightly.

"No." Cid looked at her.

"What do you mean no?" She smiled mischievously.

"You told Neeko before Cid. No means no." Cid rolled his eyes at the girl answer. Of course, she had to take those words like that.

"Okay… we are about an hour of the road from the capital. What do you say you release me, and then…" He sighed. He was going to regret it.

"We can play something." Neeko immediately released him, dragging him through the road.

"Neeko take you there!" Neeko ran, dragging him as he tried and failed to keep her pace.

"Neeko! Lacking a leg here remember?!" With little effort, the girl took him and carried him in her arms.

"This isn't what I meant!" He screamed alarmed.

She laughed as she made her way in the road.

* * *

Cid and Neeko arrived in the capital of Ionia. She had released Cid when they reached the entrance. They were walking slowly towards the Placidium as Neeko rambled of what they could play.

"We could play hide n seek! Oh, maybe we can play that game of yours with the horses and the towers, or what about cards? I like the drawings. Maybe we could play arm wrestling again." He would deny her the last one. Ever since she found out that she had a talent for that in the inn of the road, she had taken a pleasure in beating people with her unimpressive physique that hid a bunch of strength.

"We could play the game of silence." Neeko looked at him with a grin.

"Neeko not falling for that one again." It was worth trying.

"I see… oh, look. That's the Placidium." Cid pointed at the place that looked like a huge temple combined with a palace. As they walked a pair of guards looked at them.

"What brings you here?" Neeko didn't lose time before shape shifting in one of the guards.

"What brings you here!" She made an emphasis in the, you, startling the guards. Cid sighed before taking a letter with the seal of Lady Karma in it.

"Lady Karma requested my services. The girl who looks like you is Neeko, my partner." She shapeshifted back before speaking.

"Only partner! He isn't looking for another partner." She hugged him tightly confusing the guards.

"This… this is normal… mind telling Karma we are here?" One of the guards nodded and left before the other pointed a place past the gate.

"You can wait for her in the garden of meditation." He nodded thanking the guard, as he walked inside Neeko looked at the guard, making a gesture with her hands saying she was looking at him before pointing at herself.

"Only partner!" She rushed for Cid who went to the garden.

The garden was simple. It looked to be full of plants and small insects roaming in peace, Neeko got entertained with a butterfly who was going in circles.

"Neeko is going to get you…" She spoke without malice. She liked taking butterflies in her hands before releasing them again. She had a soft tact.

As he was enjoying sitting in a bench of the garden he heard the creak of wood and noticed a woman finely dressed sat next to him.

"This bench isn't occupied is it?" She smiled softy. The woman with dark skin and short brown hair had an aura of peace that surprised Cid. He shrugged at her before pointing to Neeko.

"So long as you don't have intentions of a relationship, or stealing me away, she won't mind you sitting next to me." The woman looked at the being who was following a butterfly.

"A Vastayan… a quite rare one too. A shape shifter?" Cid nodded and made a wave with his hand as if saying more or less how right she was.

"She is Neeko, and she is Oovi-kat, not a Vastaya, she is a Vastayashai´rei… according to her, the difference is they are more colorful, and I am inclined to believe it... She is my partner on the road." The woman smiled.

"You speak of her with fondness." He found himself letting out a sigh.

"She ends up growing on you after a while. She hugs tighter than she lets on though, so think it twice if she offers you a hug. Handshakes are safe though. Just make sure to explain to her she needs to let go of your hand. If you do things properly she would release you… or should." This made the woman chuckle slightly.

"I believe your words only confirm my previous statement." She smiled softly as she looked at him and then at Neeko.

"Maybe, maybe I am just good at reading people Lady Karma." This made the woman blink before smiling again.

"I see… what gave it off?" Cid just chuckled.

"How many people have an aura? I heard the rumors of your powers, it feels quite weird being in their presence." She nodded.

"I have been told my presence can be like that… well then, do you feel like seeing her?" Cid nodded before looking at Neeko. Karma motioned for him the way they would be taking.

"Neeko. I will be going to see the girl I told you about." Neeko looked at him with a smile before walking towards him, standing in her legs and linking her arm with his.

"Let us go then!" Cid rolled his eyes and stared at Karma as if saying. This is what I meant.

Karma smiled softly seeing the pair walking in front of her. She found them adorable and funny, especially with how they didn't know where the girl was, but Neeko was intent in showing him the road.

"I am sure is around here." He heard the man sigh.

"Oh, I am sure she is around here. But the question is if you know where she is." She hummed.

"I am sure we will find out." He chuckled.

"Why not ask the woman behind us? You know? The one who hired me to begin with?" Neeko looked at her for a moment before looking to the front again.

"Too pretty, can't risk that she tries to steal you." Cid sighed

Karma found herself smiling at that. So that was what he meant before.

* * *

In the end, Neeko relented for Karma to guide them, but made it clear that she shouldn't try to steal Cid away. She nodded saying she would be sure to respect the agreement. She brought them to a room underground, Cid recognized for what it was.

"A dungeon… the girl is a prisoner?" Karma nodded slowly.

"Is… much more complicated than that." Cid nodded and followed her. Neeko shuddered holding his arm tighter.

"Neeko doesn't like it here…. Too dark… and weird…" Cid nodded with her.

"I don't like it either…" As they walked Karma sighed.

"We have her here…. Because she asked for it herself. She didn't like the accommodations we had for her…" She pointed to a door in the end of the hallway.

"This is where she is… be careful… even without a weapon she can fight and be quite dangerous." Cid understood but before he could speak Neeko walked in front of him and looked at his eyes.

"Don't worry Cid! Neeko keep you safe!" She smiled brightly and Cid found himself reassured by her words. Even if he doubted the girl inside would attack him, it was really comforting to know Neeko was keeping him safe.

"Thanks, partner… well, let us go." As he opened the door he was met with a girl illuminated only by the light of a candle. Cid expected many things. But not to see a familiar face.

"Riven… is that you?" The girl on the floor looked and saw him with curiosity and fear. As a wild beast who was suddenly called by its name.

"How do you know her name?" Karma asked curious of this. Cid spoke quickly.

"She….She was the poster boy for Noxus… I saw some posters before… I heard she abandoned the army…" Cid was surprised. He saw the infamous posters once. And never forgot the girl in them.

"I… I heard you died…" He was surprised of seeing a legend. Especially living.

"I wanted to… they won't let me." She spoke with anger looking at Karma.

She nodded.

"I deemed that the death sentence for her crimes in the war against Ionia was too much. I deemed a better punishment for her to live and repair the damage she had brought. She tried to take her own life…" Cid and Neeko looked surprised. Neeko kneeled approaching Riven slowly, her undying curiosity making her crawl.

"Why? Living is great, Cid knows it, Neeko knows it… may Neeko touch your hand?" Neeko didn't wait for an answer and just touched Riven who was scared of seeing the process of Neeko becoming her.

Riven was scared of seeing herself in front of her. But she was more scared of the soft smile her double had.

Neeko spoke softly in the body of Riven.

"Neeko knows your Sho´ma… and if Neeko knows your Sho´ma. She knows you." The transformation faded, revealing the same girl of before. She walked outside holding Cid hand dragging him out. Karma and Riven were still stunned at what happened.

Karma walked outside of the cell leaving Riven alone, who was still contemplating what she saw.

Herself. With a smile…

* * *

"Co-´om Se-Henna, Cid…" Cid looked at Neeko with a serious expression. She only called him that when things were serious. Her words meaning, we smile forever. A title for important friends.

"She has gone through a lot… her Sho´ma is not bad… she needs help." She looked at him with her shining orbs holding both of his hands in hers.

"Help her... words are tricky. I speak with emotions and colors. But you know words. Help her." She smiled softly at him knowing of his talents to perfection. He nodded. holding her hands back.

"I will do my best. Co-´om Se-Henna." She smiled and brought him into a hug, this one softer than the others from before as she left to go back to the garden.

As this happened Karma arrived having seen the whole scene.

"I didn't know you two were a couple." He smiled chuckling at her words.

"We are friends. That title is one given to friends who are important to you." Karma nodded.

"And Sho´ma?" Cid let his hand come towards his head as if thinking.

"Sho´ma is… think of it as… the real form of the spirit. Neeko can feel and see it when she transforms. That's how she can transform, because she can access that…" He looked in the direction of the dark hallway.

"Neeko saw who Riven is. What she has gone through. And she saw the most important thing for me to know." He held his cane tighter.

"And what is that?" He started walking not looking at Karma.

"That she wants help. She wants to live." Karma was surprised of those words as he walked away again.

* * *

Neeko was in the garden playing with the butterflies when she saw Karma walking at her.

"Peaceful lady. How are you feeling?" She looked at her with a smile holding a butterfly.

"I am… worried… do you truly believe she wants help? We offered it to her and she denies it." Neeko nodded.

"She wants help, she is scared." As she spoke she played with the butterfly in her hand.

"How do you know this?" Neeko smiled.

"Did you know the air is part of me? So are the flowers and the rocks… Neeko is everywhere." She smiled enigmatically.

"Cid understands. Cid is like Neeko. He gets Sho´ma even if he has no way to touch it or truly see it. That's why he is my Co-´om Se-Henna…" She smiled offering Karma a butterfly that didn't fly away of her hands.

"Trust us. I know Riven wants help. And I know Cid can help her…" Karma was confused at the terms of Neeko, but she nodded hoping she was right in trusting the so-called Vastayashai´rei who was obviously happy when speaking of her friend.

* * *

Cid opened the door of the cell of Riven. In the cell, Cid spoke.

"I will help you. And I am not moving away of this cell until you get out first." He placed his cane at his side as he sat in front of her. Riven was confused at the declaration.

"Why? You know who I am." Cid nodded.

"A woman who gave it her all for a goal. Noxus is a military nation. But it raises incredible talent. You becoming the poster boy means you were the best. That required effort." Riven frowned at him.

"Then you know what I did…" He nodded.

"Killed people. Guess what Riven, soldiers do that." She stood up frowning looking at him with a building up rage.

"That's right! I killed people! I should be left to die!" Cid looked at her frowning expression with serious and cold eyes.

"Then you are running away? Is this what all of this is about? You came to Ionia to apologize, and then you got scared? You wanted to die?" Cid stood up wobbly without his cane, making front to Riven who was taller than him.

"Riven. You are not like that. You are not the sort to choose the easy road… why are you afraid?" Cid saw her frown disappear to show a despairing face.

"Why am I alive? Why do I get to live when everyone else died…." Survivor guilt. He had seen similar cases before.

"Then your answer to that is dying? Spit in their faces?" Riven frown came back and she didn't hold any punches this time as she made him fall to the floor. Cid let out a grunt as he gasped for air.

"What do you know?!" She walked forward when she stepped on his leg and noticed it.

It was fake…

Cid got back some air as he spoke.

"Like it? Is a prosthetic. I lost my leg playing I was a soldier." Riven looked at him and immediately went to remove his leg. The act surprised Cid as she just grabbed it and removed it. She brought it close to her.

"This… this… you are crippled…" She knew people who were born without extremities, often had it the worst in the Noxian regime.

"I prefer to be called Cid. Not a cripple. Now, mind returning me that leg?" He was surprised when she just gave it back.

"Thanks… Riven. Why are you so scared of living?" Riven eyes opened at the question, she was a mess of emotions.

Cid wasn't sure if it was the time he spends with Neeko. But he could dare say he could feel the emotions.

"I…." Riven closed her eyes in frustration.

Cid sighed as he got his leg back in place.

"You don't know what to do anymore." Her eyes opened in surprise as she looked at his downed figure.

"Is not surprising. No one knows what to do. I am guessing you even less. All you had was the army, then suddenly you don't even have that." He stood up with the help of his cane.

"I never had anything… then I had a purpose... and now I don't even have that…" Cid sighed as he placed a hand in her shoulder startling her.

"Then what if I gave you a purpose?" Riven eyes opened up.

"How?" She asked trembling.

"I will give you a purpose. It will be a temporary one though… you will have to find your own purpose when that one expires." Riven looked down, but then her eyes seemed to shine with a burning flame as she looked at his eyes through the glasses.

"Any purpose is good for a broken sword." Cid smiled. This was the real Riven. The one Neeko saw when she transformed. The strong Riven.

"I want you to travel with me and Neeko… we are making a trip around… and we could use someone with a good back ground as a fighter to come with us." Riven eyes shone with fire but she was still surprised.

"You know I was a murderer…" Cid reassured her with the grip of his hand in her shoulder.

"You were a soldier. The woman in front of me now is someone who looks for redemption. Why not take a journey with us? Who knows, maybe you will find an answer." Riven looked at him with eyes more alive than before but still, he saw doubt in them.

She took to sit in the bed of the cell and looked at him.

"Give me time… this is too much…" Cid nodded and walked outside as he spoke.

"I will stay here for a few days, Neeko wants to observe the city and I am interested in the incoming festival. We will wait." Riven nodded.

As he walked outside of the cell and the empty dark hallway he heard a soft whisper carried by the silence.

"Thank you…"

Cid smiled as he left the dark halls.

* * *

Once outside he was met with a pouncing Vastayashai´rei. Neeko pounced over him like a tiger against prey. She coiled her tail around his legs avoiding him of running away.

"Co-´om Se-Henna!" She kept herself looking straight at his eyes. Her smile showing she was happy. Elated even.

"Co-´om Se-Henna…" She let go when he spoke and helped him stand up.

Karma was confused at the whole scene. The way Cid spoke of Neeko to her confused her. Were they not a couple? Were they something even closer? A weird relationship was going between the doctor of the mind and the shape shifter.

"Did Riven accept our help?" Cid chuckled.

"She will think about it." Neeko face shone brightly as she hugged him tightly.

"Neeko knew you could do it!" She hugged him tightly, as Karma approached Neeko twirled keeping Cid away.

"Away peaceful lady! Cid is mine!" She smiled softly at the pair and made a small vow.

"Thank you… for helping Riven." Cid scratched the back of his head nervously.

"About that…. How willing are you to let Riven go?" Karma raised a brow at this and Cid laughed nervously as Neeko looked sheepishly too.

The pair had a good connection knowing what the other often did. Karma was the only one out of the loop.

"I may… have offered Riven an invitation to travel with me and Neeko." Karma looked at him with a stern look. But before he could apologize she started laughing.

"I would be happy to let her go. She is not well received in Ionia. And I would feel much better knowing she is alive… I believe the war of the past has already taken too many lives. I would be happy if one can keep going." Karma smiled softly at them.

Neeko quickly hugged Cid again.

"We got a new partner! Do you believe Riven will be my friend too? Even better! Do you think she likes cheese bread?!" Cid sighed at Neeko before speaking.

"Release me you reckless shape shifter, would you?" He smiled softly at her and she just hugged him tighter.

Karma who was seeing the whole scene felt a rare tug in her chest. Was she jealous of the pair? Was the interaction between Cid and Neeko making her feel jealous?

This confused her greatly.

* * *

The odd pair excused themselves to explore the capital, Neeko wanted to see if she could find something to eat, better if it was bread. Cid considered it had been a big mistake to share that one with her. Then again, it gave him a moment of peace.

"Cid look!" Neeko pointed to a man with a sword who seemed to give a show.

"I will show you about the Wuju style… Wukong." A monkey with staff came walking. Neeko saw him and smirked.

"Vastayan. A monkey… they are fast, agile and strong. But they tend to be dumb." Cid noticed how the one called Wukong seemed to look in their direction. But before he could speak the man with the sword and the weird helmet spoke.

"I will show you the speed of the Wuju. Wukong if you would." Wukong nodded throwing a bamboo rod in the air. It flew high, and the crowd was amazed when the man seemingly faded from view for a moment before reappearing holding the bamboo rod cut in seven pieces.

"As you can see. Wuju style is all about speed." He smiled as the people clapped. As the people clapped the monkey Vastaya approached them.

"Hey lady, who do you call dumb?" Cid sighed. But then he noticed Wukong wasn't referring to Neeko but him.

"Yes, you! The lady with glasses!" Neeko started giggling at this. She pointed to Cid as she spoke to Wukong.

"Isn't she a pretty lady?" Wukong got distracted before scratching his head.

"Eh? I guess… but that doesn't give her the right to call me dumb!" He looked angry as Neeko laughed loudly.

"She is actually a man. His name is Cid. I am Neeko." Wukong looked surprised before laughing.

"Haha! What kind of man looks so girly?" He laughed until he got hit in the head by a sword scabbard.

"The kind of man who you shouldn't laugh of. My apologies, Kong can be quite impulsive at times." The man bowed slightly.

"I am Yi. But people have come to call me Master Yi. My student name is Kong." Cid nodded and pointed at Neeko.

"She is Neeko, and well, I am just Cid." Neeko nodded excitedly.

"We are friends!" She hugged him tightly making Yi chuckle seeing the pair.

"I can see that. Is good to see you two keeping such a bond." Wukong looked at the pair.

"Are you married or something?" Yi looked at him.

"Kong. Privacy. Remember? We spoke about it last time when you saw Akali and Shen." The last name made Wukong shudder.

"Ugh… creepy ninja. He doesn't do anything even when you hit him." Yi smiled at his nervous student.

"If I recall, he did hit you back." Wukong scratched his head.

"I think I forgot." Yi chuckled.

"He did knock you out." This made both Cid and Neeko laugh as Wukong looked indignant.

"Master! Privacy!" Yi smirked.

"Oh, so you do know what it means." This made Wukong look sheepishly at being caught off guard. Cid noticed the pair were obviously good friends.

"What you did was impressive," Cid spoke about Yi speed. Neeko nodding.

"Neeko lost you for a moment! You were like woosh woosh wam!" She made the motions of the sword as she made sounds making Yi smile.

"Wuju is all about speed. So is quite weird for someone who is not a practitioner to see me move. Even Kong has a hard time." Wukong nodded.

"That's why he is the master… and what brought the two of you here. Is obvious you are not from here." Yi looked disapprovingly at Wukong about privacy when Neeko spoke.

"We came to help! The peaceful lady called us!" Yi was in thought of the name. Wukong got it.

"Oh, Karma. Yeah, she is quite peaceful alright, so long as you don't try anything funny…" He grumbled crossing his arms earning their attention.

"Did you do something at her?" Yi smiled nodding.

"He thought it would be funny to make some… unusual noises as she was meditating. Karma decided to return the joke by burning his tail." Wukong grabbed his tail softly.

"She didn't need to be so rough…" Yi patted him in the back.

"There, you know she didn't do any lasting harm." Neeko smiled whispering at Cid.

"Dumb I tell you." Cid found himself smiling at Neeko keeping up her analysis of Wukong.

As this went on Wukong scratched his head looking at Neeko.

"I haven't seen a Vastaya like you before… what are you exactly?" Neeko giggled before transforming in Wukong.

"I am a monkey!" Wukong jumped back at the sudden double, he started circling Neeko as she imitated his movements to perfection, Yi watched at this with amazement.

"Incredible… I can see no difference in them… only their voices is the giveaway" Cid nodded.

"Sho´ma is quite amazing right?" Cid let out the term out as if it was as simple as speaking of the climate.

Meanwhile, Wukong decided to try to use his staff to stand taller, Neeko imitating him. Then he had an idea.

"Ah! Bet you can't do this faker!" Wukong let out a clone and was surprised when his double smiled.

"Oh I can!" Then an extra double of Neeko came out in the shape of Wukong. Now there were four Wukong standing looking at each other.

"What?!" The double of Wukong went away in a poof of smoke at the same time Neeko double disappeared like an illusion. She started laughing before going back to her own form.

"That was fun! But your Sho´ma isn't as nice as the one of Co-´om Se-Henna." She smiled pointing at Cid. Wukong was scratching his head at the term.

"Co om se what?" She giggled.

"Co-´om Se-Henna. Try it again." As she was trying to repeat the phrase for him to understand Cid and Yi were watching them chat.

"Is quite nice isn't? They just chat with no animosity. Even though they are from different tribes…" Yi looked at them with a sense of peace that Cid understood.

"Would be nice if we could do the same right?" Yi nodded sighing, and for a moment, Cid saw him grip his sword tighter. He understood there was a story there. It wasn't a nice story…

Meanwhile, Neeko was showing Wukong some other transformations of hers. He watched in amazement as Yi tried to understand how she could do it. Cid spoke, answering the unasked question.

"Vastayashai´rei. Oovi-kat. Neeko is the last one." This made Yi body show surprise at that.

"The last one…" Cid nodded. His face with a smile.

"She is stronger than you believe… she is truly happy and looks for more…she says she is the whole tribe. Neeko pain at being the last one is nonexistent compared to her wish to keep learning and exploring the world."

* * *

"_Neeko last Oovi-kat. Neeko is whole tribe now!" She smiled as they walked._

"_Isn't that… lonely?" He felt saddened for her._

"_Not anymore! Neeko has you Co-´om Se-Henna!" She smiled widely as she expressed the term._

"_Co-´om Se-Henna?" He scratched his head as she nodded._

"_Means, we smile forever! Friends." For the first time since they met, he started the hug._

"_Co-´om Se-Henna then." She giggled holding him tightly._

* * *

"I see… I am surprised the two of you not being a couple by the way you act." He shrugged at this.

"We are friends. Friends do a ton of stuff couples do." Yi nodded.

"I believe so… say, would you two like to come with us to grab something to eat? We were going to see Akali and Shen." Wukong voice broke through his speech.

"And Kennen! The lighting furball owes me a rematch!" Yi palm went over his face, he then proceeded to remove his helmet showing his face. Cid was surprised seeing the man wasn't so old and in fact didn't look older than twenty five...

"Seriously Kong…" He sighed as he let the helmet grab from his clothes.

"Let us go shall we?" Cid nodded, as he started walking behind Yi, Neeko quickly followed linking her arm with his. She got close to him and whispered.

"Old man is young man…." Cid nodded.

"Surprising right?" Neeko nodded excitedly.

* * *

In the cell under the Placidium, Riven was in thought. She was still seeing the face of her smiling double, and she also kept hearing the words of the man.

Cid and Neeko.

The weird man and his weirder companion…

She remembered them both vividly. As if, they were in her cell still looking at her. Moreover, curiously. For the first time in a long time. She felt she had something to look up. Something new, and it scared her. But it also brought a sense of excitement.

She wouldn't die in this cell…

She would forge her blade again. She would forge herself. The broken sword would be complete again…

* * *

Cid smiled as he ate in the company of Neeko. Both were eating a dish of noodles courtesy of Akali who was cutting a fish. The girl was smiling seeing them eat.

"What do you think?" She smiled at them seeing them eat happily.

"I like it. Thank you Akali." Neeko nodded with the words of Cid.

"They remind me of the cheese bread! They are wonderful." She kept digging in the food. Yi and Wukong were eating a vegetable dish. Wukong was trying to bring out a banana to eat before Yi swatted at his hand.

"Is bad manners to bring food to a restaurant, so stop that Kong." Wukong kept trying only for his hand to be swatted by the hand of Yi at an incredible speed.

Cid found himself debating whether to laugh or be impressed. So he chose the first one. Neeko looked at them for a moment before letting her dish empty and speaking.

"Fast, strong, agile… and incredibly dumb." She then proceeded to take food from the dish of Cid.

Akali was about to say something when she noticed how Cid pushed his dish slightly towards Neeko, giving her easier access to take the food that she thought was taking stealthy. Akali found herself with a smile as she cleaned her knife. Cid was giving her his food. He knew she was hungry.

Seeing the adorable gesture she made a smaller dish, a quick one too. Steamed meat inside a bit of flour. Making for a bread filled with hot food. She put two buns of meat in a plate before offering it to Cid, coughing slightly to catch his attention.

"Take them. This are courtesy of the house." She smiled at him, he took the dish and thanked her. As she smiled she felt a stare in her way and notice Neeko was looking at her.

"Neeko was too hungry to notice before… but you are gorgeous!" She pointed an accusing finger at her while noodles were hanging from the chopstick in her other hand.

"Don't go around stealing my Co-´om Se-Henna." Akali looked at her with a smile and decided to be mischievous for a moment.

"Oh… don't tell me you are a couple? Because I might find it hard to resist the charms of your friend. I like my men softer." She said teasingly in a sultry tone that surprised Cid and Yi. Wukong was surprised as well, but his hunger won against his surprise allowing to finally bite the banana he had been failing to bring to the table.

Neeko looked surprised before she smiled.

"Neeko and Cid no couple. Co-´om Se-Henna. Much more important." Cid smiled at this and looked at Akali.

"Is a way of saying, friends." Akali nodded and then focused back on Neeko who was then holding the free hand of Cid.

"I see… seriously what the two of you are then? You do seem like a couple." Both smiled before speaking the same word.

"Co-´om Se-Henna." Akali sighed in defeat understanding they were not failing for her flirty act.

"So, Neeko right?" Neeko nodded.

"What do you plan to do after this whole travel of yours end?" She smiled looking at Akali.

"Travel never ends! We will look for friends and keep traveling." Akali found herself surprised at the optimistic nature of the girl.

"You need to stop traveling at some point though; surely you have thought on making a home somewhere." Neeko laughed.

"Akali so silly. Neeko home is in here!" She pointed at her chest. She then proceeded to bring Cid in a side hug.

"Neeko home is here too! Home is everywhere." She smiled as Cid just ate one of the meat buns, highly used at the antics of his traveling partner.

Akali wasn't used at the optimistic spirit of the Vastayashai´rei. Still, she had to admit it was contagious.

"Really? Then I might take on traveling myself later." Neeko eyes shone brightly.

"You can travel with us! More merrier right?" Cid nodded.

"The more the merrier. That is how the saying goes." Neeko nodded.

"Neeko said that." Cid ruffled her hair making her giggle. He knew she had a hard time with words at times. But she did her best.

"Yes, you did… also, why are you alone here? Yi mentioned Shen and Kennen." Akali nodded.

"They are currently on a mission… is confidential so I can't say much to people who are not part of the Placidium." Neeko and Cid nodded at the same time.

Still, Cid knew what the mission was.

"The golden demon right?" Yi, Wukong, and Akali tensed up looking at him.

"How?" Akali had ended up pointing a knife at the throat of Cid. He was holding the hand of Neeko as she was charging her left hand in magic.

"Neeko. Relax." Neeko looked at Akali with her eyes in a feral state. She wouldn't tolerate any harm coming to him. As he felt her holding his hand tightly, he spoke.

"We heard rumors as we made our way that the golden demon was causing mayhem." Akali removed the knife and took it away.

"I am sorry for… that. Is a rather heavy theme you must understand… those involved will never be the same." He nodded. He knew well his road with rumors and books. Many spoke of the golden demon savage workings.

Art he called them.

"Shen is… trying to catch him. His father caught the man once in the company of him and… Zed." Cid noticed how the name Zed seemed to be important to Akali, and how it brought her discomfort.

Cid decided he would keep that bit of information.

"I hope they catch him." Akali nodded.

"We all do…" She still remembered when Shen forbid her of going alone to try to look for him. Their order was a small one. Zed had ninjas everywhere, and not kind ones…

She let out a sigh before focusing on cooking again. She only wished Shen trusted more in them.

Cid didn't know it. But he was eating in a room full of legends. Master Yi, the last master of the Wuju style. Wukong, the apprentice and proud warrior who was learning the Wuju. Akali, one of the deadliest ninjas.

He didn't know any of that. To him, they were simple people who lived in Ionia and seemingly worked for the Placidium.

* * *

As the day was ending, Cid and Neeko were walking towards an inn Karma suggested they could rest when they denied the wish to sleep in the Placidium.

"Too much luxury." Had been their words.

As they made their way, walking, Neeko spoke.

"Cid. There is much pain in Ionia." It wasn't a question. When she didn't say her name often, it meant a conversation was going to be serious.

"There is." Neeko nodded.

"Think we could help?" He held her hand.

"Depends. Who do you want to help?" Neeko returned the grip of her hand and looked at the sky.

"Can we help Riven first?" He nodded looking too at the sky. They kept walking slowly, Neeko helping Cid walk as he supported himself with the cane.

"I believe Riven will heal with time. Plus your humor will help her." She smiled.

"Riven could help us helping Shen who doesn't want help but Akali does want someone to help him." He found himself chuckling at her words.

"Maybe. However, we don't know where the golden demon is. Unless we find him, we can't go around helping Shen." Neeko smirked.

"We do know. We only have to follow the bad Sho´ma in the air." Cid sighed.

"Are you sure you are not a sort of hound?" Neeko looked at him before taking her tongue out.

"Oovi-kat. Not a hound or a monkey." She smiled when she felt the hand of Cid ruffling her hair. It was a sensation she could never get tired of feeling.

"Vastayashai´rei. Not a simple Vastaya. You are more colorful." He spoke saying her usual words when people compared her to other Vastaya.

"Neeko sees you are getting it." She walked closer to him as they kept seeing the night sky.

"You don't want to sleep in the inn do you?" She denied softly.

"I want to see the stars all night again." Cid nodded.

"Me too…" Both walked back to the Placidium, an idea in their minds.

"Think Karma will mind us sleeping in the meditation garden?" Neeko smirked.

"Peaceful lady doesn't need to know it. She won't mind what she doesn't know." Cid chuckled. He knew those eyes perfectly.

* * *

Passing the guards had been easy. And it had been even easier to just drop in the garden and look at the sky.

"That star is pretty. Neeko likes it." Cid saw it shining.

"Do you want to be a star Neeko?" She denied with a soft wave of her head as they were lying in the grass.

"No. Stars too far away. Everything Neeko wants is close to her already." She smiled softly seeing the night sky. The moon shining brightly over their heads.

"What about you Co-´om Se-Henna. Do you want to be a star?" He sighed softly seeing the peaceful night sky.

He would love if the whole world was like the night sky. Peaceful, coexisting in a perfect harmony of elements. Nothing bad going on, but the simple marvelous of the night sky covering it all. Making every trouble seem smaller.

"No. I don't think so." Neeko moved in the grass focusing on him.

"Oh? Why is that?" She said teasingly. She already knew the answer. But she wanted to hear him say it.

"Oh, you know. I like the grass, and that is only here." She poked his cheek softly. Pressuring him in saying it.

"Do I have to say it Neeko?" She nodded softly a small smile in her face.

He sighed, looking at the night sky instead of her. Speaking words, he wasn't used in saying. Words he never believes he would ever speak in his life, traveling, work, many things had happened. However, the best change in his routine was the girl who brought luck with her.

"I believe I don't want to be a star… because all I want is already in my hands." Neeko felt his hand softly holding hers making her smile.

She returned to look the night sky as they held hands. She could feel him falling asleep.

"Good night, Co-´om Se-Henna." She spoke softly watching the sky.

"Good night, Co-´om Se-Henna." He spoke slowly as he closed his eyes seeing the night sky.

Neeko kept watching the night sky and saw a shooting star.

"Oh. A shooting star." She looked at her partner.

"Didn't you say I could make a wish to them?" She looked at it and spoke.

* * *

"_Oh! Look Neeko a shooting star." He spoke happily as Neeko was curious._

"_What is so good on them?" He smiled pointing at it._

"_You can make a wish. And it may become true." She giggled._

"_Oh! Neeko likes that! Neeko wants cheese bread!" He chuckled._

"_That is not a proper wish Neeko." He ruffled her hair. _

"_Is the wish Neeko has." She smiled seeing it and making her wish._

* * *

Neeko looked at the night sky.

"I once asked for cheese bread. But if you let Neeko change her wish… she would like to keep her Co-´om Se-Henna always with her…" She smiled softly at the sky.

It was an honest wish. A wish from her heart that wanted nothing more but to keep her friend.

The last Oovi-kat stretched as she let out a yawn and proceeded to coil around over Cid protectively.

People often thought they were a couple. They made all sort of comments. Some she understood. Others she didn't. However, she didn't care of any of them. The only comments she cared for were of the person she bestowed the title of Co-´om Se-Henna.

We smile forever. She didn't get why people had a hard time understanding such a phrase.

A friend is someone who makes you smile forever, and you make it smile forever too.

We smile forever next to the other. Co-´om Se-Henna

Was that so hard to understand?

She idly wondered as she let sleep take her. Tomorrow would be another day of learning.

* * *

**CUT! **

**So this had been in my head for a while and I thought, hey, why not? Seems like a fun idea. I hope you like it. I will be seeing you another time in the next chapter.**

**Chapter 1.- The therapist and the shapeshifter speak of uncertainty and music. **


	2. Chapter 2

**To understand who we are**

_Chapter 1.- The therapist and the shapeshifter speak of uncertainty, music, emotional relationships and stalkers._

When Karma started her routine, she expected to have a nice meditation in the gardens of the Plaicidium. Such thoughts were broken by the sound of snoring. She found herself surprised following the noise. Walking through the gardens she didn't expect the scene she was met with.

Neeko was coiled as she slept over the laying body of Cid. She was surprised to see the snoring came from Neeko. Seeing the peaceful pair was conflicting. For one side, what were they doing sleeping the gardens? Didn't she tell them about an inn they could stay since they refused the lodgings? And secondly, they were adorable. She couldn't avoid finding herself smiling at the pair who obviously had trust in the other.

She noticed both were sleep talking.

"The game of silence…just…..stay….silent…for…a while." Cid seemed to smile as he spoke.

Neeko dreams were much simpler to understand.

"Cheese bread… have some…. Cheese bread…." She found herself smiling before clapping at the pair. The sound bringing their eyes open. Neeko stretched while smiling at her.

"Peaceful lady! Morning, Neeko was dreaming of cheese bread." She stretched herself before moving away of Cid and patting his cheek a couple of times with her open palm.

"Cid…Cid… wake up." After he started answering the patting of his cheek he opened his eyes noticing he never removed his glasses. He looked at Karma.

"Oh. Morning Karma." Neeko helped him stand up before bringing his cane. Karma chuckled at the pair.

"Good morning to both of you… why were you sleeping in the garden." Karma was expecting a sort of excuse or story. Cid was thinking on one before Neeko spoke.

"Neeko fooled guards so we could enter and sleep watching the stars!" Cid sighed as Karma looked at the pair with an eyebrow raised at their behavior.

"How did you fool them Neeko?" Neeko smiled before she made an illusion of herself appear, then the illusion faded.

"Neeko made a second Neeko to distract them!" Neeko smiled proudly of her thinking, Karma focused on Cid.

"I believe you are a poor influence on her ideas." Cid laughed.

"Who says I got any say in what she does? She is my partner, but I don't give her any orders aside of not hugging me too tightly." Neeko nodded at this and came to hug him as if to prove the previous statement.

"Neeko and Cid are Co-´om Se-Henna, we trust the other!" She spoke with a big smile at Karma.

Karma found herself looking fondly at the pair. Their trust was moving.

"Well then, seeing as I may not meditate anymore, would you two like to have breakfast with me?" The odd pair nodded at her words.

* * *

Karma took notice of a fact as she shared breakfast with the pair. Neeko ate much more than her partner did, and Cid wasn't against the idea of sharing his food with Neeko. She found it weird. The more she saw them interact the more she considered they could be an old marriage. Yet according to Cid they only had a pair of months together.

What brought so much trust between them?

"How is Riven? Did she say anything today or after we left?" Karma ponderings would have to wait as she recalled what the guards mentioned.

"Nothing much. She did request us to give her the sword she carried." Karma mused. "Quite weird really, the sword was broken in three pieces, I offered her a new weapon, but she insisted on having her own sword back." Cid nodded.

The sword of a warrior was an important and personal thing. He remembered someone who would just not let go of his sword mentioning it was all he had left.

"I believe she will be well with her own sword. She is after all the famous poster boy of Noxus. If someone can fight even with a broken sword, it would be Riven." At this Karma looked at him with curiosity.

"I been meaning to ask, you seem to know a lot of Riven. How did you come to learn of her?" Cid chuckled thinking of it.

"Well, is not a secret. Riven is well known, she is legendary in Noxus; there are names that travel all over the land like your name Lady Karma. There are others, like the name of Jericho Swain, the master tactician and leader of Noxus, Azir, the ascended that brought Shurima from the desert… Ezreal the famous explorer…. Oh and Sona Buvelle. The maven of strings." Neeko nodded at the last names.

"Cid loves Sona! But Neeko loves Cid more." He felt slightly embarrassed at that comment.

"I am a fan yes…" Neeko patted him in the back.

"We heard she was touring Ionia. We lost her last concert because we got lost. Neeko still thinks we will get to see her." Cid nodded patting Neeko in the back.

"We got cheese bread in that town remember?" It was Neeko turn to sigh.

"We could have gotten much more…" Both sighed, patting the back of the other sharing a sort of side hug.

Karma just looked at them and kept in her belief of them being a sort of old marriage. Two months don't get people so close. Something had to happen to them to get so close…

She was honestly curious of this. She also noticed how Neeko attention was now focusing in making a braid in the dark messy hair of Cid.

"Does she braids your hair often?" He made a small nod.

"She does. I have learned is easier to let her than trying to make her stop." Karma moved from her position looking Neeko fingers working expertly in the braid. Before Karma could ask Cid spoke.

"Oovi-kat tradition." Karma made a small nod seeing Neeko work with a smile in her face. She noticed it was in moments like the one she was seeing, that the Vastayashai'rei kept quiet.

"Is there other things you two do together?" Cid wondered speaking automatically what he thought.

"Sleeping, eating, we play together, we chat all the time…. pretty much everything except going to the bathroom." Karma seemed to feel surprised at this.

"Much trust between you two, wouldn't you say so?" This time Neeko spoke. She had a smile in her face.

"You are a silly peaceful lady. There are no bounds between Co-´om Se-Henna. We do everything together. Cid doesn't want to bath together though. But not worry, Neeko master in convincing." The smile in the face of Neeko made Karma actually believe the girl was set in that goal.

However, the idea of a man and a woman bathing together did seem a tad scandalous as her cheeks blushed.

"You seem to hold a lot of… the certainty of this." Neeko nodded.

"Neeko believes uncertainty is bad. It clouds judgment and stops you from actually doing things. That's why Neeko is always certain!" She smiled finishing the braid on Cid's hair.

"Done, you look cute Cid!" The other sighed feeling the braid and noticing it was like a sort of ponytail.

"Thanks, Neeko." Karma wondered the words of Neeko.

"Surely you understand that uncertainty is part of life at times." Neeko denied with a wave of her head. This time it was Cid who spoke.

"No. Uncertainty is to doubt something is possible. Is much easier to go through life with the certainty that everything is possible. We live in a world of wonders." Neeko nodded with a smile.

"The only certain thing is we can make it through anything so long as we believe it." Cid ruffled the hair of Neeko who playfully tried to take his hand away of her hair. She didn't want to take it away. Not really.

Karma looked at the pair.

"You seem confident of this. Have you never felt uncertainty during your trip?" Cid shrugged and so did Neeko. Cid spoke to Karma with a smile.

"We are always certain of one thing as we take the road." Neeko smiled with a nod after him.

"That the road will take us somewhere. We don't need to know where. The where is not important. The important is the road." She felt Cid hand ruffling her hair again this time she took his hand to stay still and held it with hers.

Karma was confused at how blindly they seemed to travel. People often went on the road with a destination set. But they seemed to just go wherever it fitted.

"You truly don't mind moving around without a destination?" Cid shrugged.

"Messages always reach me for work; it doesn't matter where I am located. So why worry of where I am going if I will move again? I am certain that I will have new work waiting on the horizon." Neeko nodded.

"Neeko is always certain Cid will be next to her. Neeko is certain she will always be next to Cid. Why worry of the uncertainty of stuff we don't know? We will end up knowing it later. So why worry? Better move forward. The only thing that can stop you from going forward is fear… and fear is born from uncertainty." She smiled softly as her grip in the hand of Cid got tighter.

* * *

"_What do you plan to do now?" He asked sitting next to her._

"_Neeko doesn't know. But Neeko doesn't care." She smiled seeing the night sky._

"_Why?" Neeko smiled at Cid._

"_Because Neeko has Co-´om Se-Henna next to her. Why should Neeko worry on what to do? I am already doing something." Cid chuckled as she proceeded to hug him._

"_Hugging me doesn't count as something," Neeko smirked._

"_It does. You are doing nothing by not hugging me back." He sighed and returned the hug._

"_See? We both are doing something. Hugging is something." She smiled tightly keeping the hug._

"_Neeko… I need air…" Neeko laughed._

"_I know…" Cid sighed. She wouldn't relent._

* * *

Karma thought on her words. Fear. Fear indeed put a stop to everyone… it stopped time even. It froze people. And it forbid them of going forward. The threat of a demon of the past had frozen Ionia again…

"Neeko is certain she can make a peaceful lady smile." Karma didn't notice when Neeko was next to her. The next thing she noticed was how she saw her reflection in front of her. But her reflection was using her hands to make her mouth move upwards, a small smile.

"See? Like this! Now you do it, peaceful lady." Karma found herself mimicking the silly girl and smiling too. After this she found herself smiling more until she laughed.

It was so ridiculous. She was worrying of something she had no control over. Being afraid and worried wouldn't make finding Khada Jhin faster.

"Thank you Neeko." Karma smiled softly at the girl as she finished laughing.

Neeko looked at her in her own image again before hugging Karma. Cid chuckled seeing Karma returning the hug. He was waiting for the expression of happiness of Karma to change. And he wasn't disappointed. The expression of happiness turned to one of awkwardness and later one of small panic as she noticed the girl didn't budge from the hug.

"Neeko? Could you release me?" This time it was Cid who laughed.

"I did warn you about the hugs." It was then that Cid was brought over to Neeko who dragged him with her tail.

"Oi! Neeko!" The tail finished her job bringing him next to her as she opened her arm to get him into the hug with Karma.

"No need to thank Neeko. Neeko willing to share hug. You don't need to feel left out Cid." Neeko was smiling mischievously.

She knew Cid didn't felt left out, surely he was enjoying being out of the hug. There was a thing no one knew, mostly no one. Cid didn't know it. But Neeko did. And it was that Cid belonged in her arms.

* * *

After a hectic breakfast and the release of the prison hug. Cid walked with Neeko to the cell to see Riven. As they went down Neeko spoke to Cid.

"Karma Sho´ma was nice." Cid nodded.

"Peaceful?" He got a nod from Neeko.

"Worry not Cid. Your Sho´ma is still my favorite." She giggled as he sighed.

"I wasn't worrying." Neeko teasingly poked his cheek.

"There is nothing bad in worrying Cid. But you shouldn't worry. You are Neeko Co-´om Se-Henna and Neeko is yours too." Cid chuckled as they walked.

He could understand why people often thought they were a couple.

It was an easy thing to see them, holding hands, walking next to the other, their conversations and comments. It wasn't so weird to consider it. But Cid didn't consider it like that. After all, Neeko was Neeko. And that was a statement of its own, it was hard to know what Neeko wanted for many, he did understood her. But he wasn't sure what Neeko was looking in the road was romance. Neither did he for that matter. He was just going around doing his work.

As they arrived in the cell Cid opened the door and found Riven making small movements while standing, it seemed as a sort of drill, as if she fought an invisible enemy. Neeko smiled as she transformed into Riven and started mirroring her movements. In the enclosed space, Riven didn't seem to care or didn't notice as she kept going.

Cid leaned against the door frame watching the pair of Riven training in tandem. Though Cid could see Neeko obviously falling behind as she wasn't really sure of the movements Riven was going for.

He smiled seeing the pair. After a while, Riven looked at Neeko and with serious expression started guiding her.

"Left foot to the side, right more in front, let your left arm straighter." Riven eyes were focused, and Cid managed to let out a softer smile seeing her eyes.

Those were not the eyes of a coward, or someone who gave up. Those were eyes with a decision and a direction. As Neeko kept struggling to keep the orders of Riven, Cid laughed.

"Is not so easy this time Neeko?" Neeko looking as Riven had an expression of panic.

"A little help?" Cid chuckled before approaching Riven.

"Riven. Ready to go then?" Riven nodded at him. While her face didn't show a smile, Cid preferred the expression of seriousness a thousand times more than the face of defeat.

Riven waited for them to walk out of the cell. As they walked Neeko tried to make conversation with Riven but found little to no answer. Small nods were Riven main way of speaking to Neeko. This made the Oovi-kat look slightly down before approaching Cid.

"Is she okay?" Cid nodded.

"Give her time." Neeko nodded with a small sigh, but as fast as it came the sadness went away as she now procured to ask him what they would do for the day.

Riven meanwhile was confused.

She looked at the odd pair who offered her a chance to be free and offered a purpose for a while. She noticed how the girl who wasn't human simply was around the man with nothing but happiness. The sole presence of each other seemed to make the other smile. As if nothing could be bad as long as they had the other next to them.

She saw them with anger. And she didn't know why she was angry.

But deep inside that sensation had a name.

Jealously. Why could they be happy? Why could they simply seem to have it all when it was obvious, they didn't have much…

As Riven pondered she felt pair of hands in her face making her smile by force. She noticed the same girl poking her fingers on her face.

"Smile Riven! We will be going to the festival!" Riven sighed and ignored the girl, swatting her hands away. She noticed the girl didn't care and spoke with the man again.

"Cid! I just noticed her hair is too short! How can I braid her hair?!" The man named Cid chuckled.

"Well Neeko… I guess you will simply have to endure it." He poked the girl cheek who puffed both cheeks at this.

"I want her to feel welcome…" Riven sighed. She didn't need to feel welcomed. She was just going to make sure the two of them were safe. That was all.

They got to pick her sword before leaving the Placidium.

* * *

The afternoon came, and Neeko was excitedly walking around the area where a festival would take place, she took into the decorations of the people of the Ionian capital, she took into their clothes and the stands they were placing. As she walked she was dragging Cid all over. Both ended up meeting a familiar girl who was just done with her stand.

"Akali!" Neeko ran towards the girl who waved at them.

"Good to see you two and….. why is she here?" Akali tone turned full of scorn as she pointed a kitchen at Riven. Neeko and Cid were surprised at how fast she brought the knife out.

"…" Riven silence only made Akali angrier before Cid intervened.

"She is with us. We are getting her out of Ionia, Karma gave us permission for it." Akali kept the knife pointed at Riven.

"She tries anything… and you will be losing a traveling partner. So keep her close to you Cid and make sure she doesn't step out of line." Riven looked at Akali with disinterest. She felt that she could bring out the broken sword and swat the little knife if she wanted.

Yet there was something about Akali that made Riven think it twice. As a predator who was seeing another one. And as she felt that, she could feel two more as she heard steps.

"Riven… I see Karma did indeed freed you." Yi carried himself with a smile.

Cid sighed noticing the smile was anything but kind. It was a smile that was daring Riven to try anything. He noticed Wukong also seemed to be ready to fight.

"No funny business Noxian." Were the words of Wukong who was crossing his arms at her.

To Cid relief, Neeko took Riven and him in a hug.

"Don't worry! We only came to have fun! Nothing funny or weird! Neeko promises!" Cid smiled nodding at this as he spoke.

"Don't worry, we will be careful." Yi nodded at this. And Cid heard the voice of Akali.

"We aren't worried about you two. We are worried about her." With those words, the conversation ended as they all took their own paths.

Cid sighed as he looked at Riven.

"Would it hurt you to try to relax Riven?" The girl looked at him with eyes full of seriousness and he sighed. He turned and started walking with Neeko.

"I see you are still in that cell…" As she walked with Neeko, Riven eyes shot open at those words. What did he mean?

"Cid?" Neeko poked his cheek.

"Yes?" Neeko smiled softly at him.

"Don't worry. Her Sho´ma is good… it will just take time." Cid sighed offering her a smile.

"Is Sho´ma the answer to everything?" Neeko giggled.

"Don't be silly. You know Sho´ma is everywhere." Cid sighed as he laughed.

"Of course, silly me." He walked with Neeko towards a stand in which a man was challenging people to throw a ball at a jar.

"Get the ball inside the jar missy and get a price." The man spoke to Cid who just sighed. He knew he wasn't exactly all that manly, but whatever. He offered the man a few coins and tossed the ball to Neeko who smiled mischievously. She looked at the jar.

"You are the better shot. Get us that prize." Neeko nodded and surprised both the man in the stand and Riven. Neeko threw the ball in what looked like an impossible arch before it fell inside the jar with no resistance.

"Oh… I guess you won…" The man proceeded to give them a small hair ornament. A barrette. Neeko smiled before walking towards Riven and in a flash putting it in her hair.

"It fits!" Riven found herself surprised at the barrette in her hair as Cid chuckled. The pair kept walking leaving a dumbfounded Riven at the feminine ornament in her hair. As she was walking she noticed a feeling of anger and turned to see a woman with long hair and armor.

"Irelia." Riven knew her from her visit to the cell when she said she would make sure she didn't leave Ionia alive.

Irelia approached her before speaking in a whisper as she crossed her.

"Lady Karma may have forgiven you. But I didn't." Riven sighed.

She didn't know why, but she took to send her hand touching the barrette that was in her short hair. It brought a weird warm. A sense of safety. To know that two people didn't seem to hate her felt relieving.

She sighed following the pair.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cid and Neeko were making short of work of the stands. Neeko seemingly had a perfect eye to get targets, and Cid had fooling eyesight under the glasses, as he had to be able to always follow the movements of the vendors on the games in which they hid stuff. The group ended up with a small assortment of prizes that Neeko took to give her. A small bracelet with a charm, a second barrette, and a candy. The other prizes were being kept by Cid inside his coat.

Riven found herself sighing at the pair. She didn't understood why they did the things they chose to do.

As she kept walking with them, she noticed Neeko seemed to avoid Cid seeing something. She didn't understood what was until she saw the piece of paper.

"Sona Buvelle…" As she spoke the name Neeko had a face of panic and Cid smiled.

"Sona? Sona will play here?" He approached Riven who offered him the piece of paper. At this Neeko looked alarmed before sighing. She looked at Riven and her eyes offered a single message.

Why?

Neeko sighed before taking Cid with her to the direction of the piece of paper. They noticed that people had already started surrounding a place in which Sona would arrive. Cid smiled seeing the place. Neeko took Riven with her a far from the people as he stood up in place.

"Why? We were having such a fun time…" Riven was confused at the tone of Neeko. It sounded worried. She wasn't sure what to say, but it seemed she worried for naught as Neeko kept making conversation for both.

"He loves Sona music. He speaks of it when someone mentions music. Neeko doesn't make music Riven! Neeko barely sings!" The girl walked in circles as she sighed.

"Cid is Neeko Co-´om Se-Henna, Riven. Cid is not Sona friend." The girl seemed to be in thought.

"What if she tries to steal him away? What if Sona plays ballads for Cid? Neeko doesn't know an instrument…"Riven had enough and spoke.

"Aren't you being foolish? So far, I have seen both of you acting like a couple. And I am honestly not understanding why are you so worried. Or what co om means." Riven words came harshly and for a moment she was worried she might have spoken out of place. To her surprise Neeko had stopped walking in panic and smiled widely.

"You speak!" She came to hug Riven who stayed still as a stone in the contact.

"I was so worried you were afraid of speaking or couldn't! But you can!" Neeko seemingly ignored what Riven spoke before she started laughing.

"I must tell Cid you speak!" She started dragging the girl who was out of balance.

As they ran Riven noticed someone seemed to look at her direction. She couldn't see much more from it as they ran towards Cid who was also approaching them, he looked relieved.

"Cid? Why are you not waiting for Sona?" Cid smiled before ruffling the hair of Neeko making her smile.

"How could I? Suddenly both of you went away, I was worried for a moment." Riven found herself smiling at the show of care of Cid for them. Her smile went away when she saw Neeko pointing at her.

"Cid! She smiled! And she speaks too!" Cid looked at Riven who looked to the side. She felt weirdly vulnerable suddenly as she got hugged by Neeko again.

"Please let's keep her!" Riven sighed before Cid spoke.

"You know she is traveling with us for a while. She can stay with us as long as she wants." Riven looked at Cid with slight surprise. She wasn't expecting that. She honestly expected she would travel with them through Ionia and then she was to be left behind.

Not to be welcomed with them…

As she was in thought clapping started to sound as on a stage Sona waved at people. Cid smiled ushering Neeko and Riven for them to try to get closer.

In amicable peace, they enjoyed the music from the maven of strings.

* * *

As the music ended, Sona waved at the people and went away, kept safe by a group of guards, Wukong and Yi with them. Cid smiled as he and Neeko were walking towards the Placidium. Riven didn't understand why as it was getting to be so late at night.

"Where are we going?" Cid and Neeko ushered for her to stay silent. She saw as Neeko made an illusion fooling the guards into following her illusion of a woman asking for help. As this happened Neeko dragged her and Cid into the inside. They once again walked to the garden of meditation.

Riven looked with surprise as the pair ended up throwing themselves in the floor.

"What are you doing?" Neeko answered the question.

"Resting of course!" She smiled as if it was obvious.

"We like seeing the stars at night." Riven nodded before she let herself also fall in the grass. Not sure what to do.

"Hey Riven." She thought that she wouldn't be getting much rest.

"…yes?" She heard Neeko giggle.

"What do you like?" Riven wondered as she lay in the grass.

"My sword I guess…" She heard Neeko giggle and Cid sigh.

"Surely you like more things?" Riven saw the sky and wondered.

As she was in thought in the grass, for a moment she forgot everything and everyone around her and just spoke.

"My sword… the moon… I like the smell fresh air has. Is not like Noxus full of smoke from the forges… I like… battlefields I guess…" She sighed speaking more to herself than to them.

"They offered me a chance to prove my own worth… the army gave me a home… it gave me a place I belonged. I wasn't a lonely girl. I was a soldier. And then I was more." She breathed as she felt a tear in her eye.

"Then I lost it. Betrayed by my own… I guess I never belonged since the start." As she felt a tear roll from her eye towards the grass she heard rustling and noticed when Neeko stood up and brought her up. She got her into a tighter hug than the rest.

"There is no weakness in crying Riven. Neeko won't tell. Cid won't either."

* * *

_Cid sat next to the girl who was close to a small river._

"_There is no shame in crying." The girl smiled but her eyes showed the tears._

"_Who is crying? Neeko doesn't cry." The girl was trying to keep a smile and he returned the smile._

"_Surely not Neeko. But you can cry if you look like me. I am known to cry a lot." He smiled as she looked down. She didn't transform and just spoke._

"_I shouldn't be sad…" He sighed._

"_There is nothing wrong with being sad." Neeko nodded._

"_Neeko knows… but Neeko doesn't want to know it…" Cid chuckled bringing the girl in a hug._

"_If you cry. I won't tell." Neeko hugged him._

_The last Oovi-Kat mourned the loss of her people._

* * *

Riven wasn't sure why she returned the hug. Or why she hugged Neeko tightly as she did. But she just did that. Cid saw the scene with a small smile. He let himself up wobbly as he took his cane to give the pair a moment. He thought Riven would feel better if only Neeko was there.

* * *

The meditation garden was big; it extended itself and had a pond too. Cid found himself gathering a few pebbles of the area close to the pond, he observed them and started to throw one to make it skip in the still surface of the pond.

He smiled as he saw the ripples at the three skips he managed to make.

He looked at his own reflection in the pond and smiled. How long had it been since he felt so relaxed?

He didn't care and took another stone to throw at the pond. There was not much use in worrying of the past. It had already gone by.

As he threw the second stone this one managed four skips, he nodded at his success when he saw a stone skipping six times. One he didn't throw. As he looked at the direction it had been thrown he looked something he never expected to see so close.

The bluenette, Sona Buvelle waved shyly at him. She looked nervous, she took a pebble and pointed to the lake. A small smile in her face. Cid got the message clearly.

"You want to compete?" Sona nodded and he smiled.

"Six skips was quite the war declaration you know?" She nodded again, her smile still in place.

Cid understood right then that the shy girl was obviously competitive.

"I am not one to give a win away easily." He smiled as her eyes seemed to burn with the fire of competition.

"Girls first?" Sona nodded as she prepared her stone. She shot it, in an elegant and quick motion by flicking her wrist as she threw the stone to the lake. Cid found himself whistling impressed at the skips the stone made. He kept counting through the ripples as the stone went away of their sight.

"Twenty one…. You are obviously good at this." Sona smiled at him. Cid sighed. He would really need to focus for this one.

Not far from them, Neeko was seeing the scene with a worried face. Worried until she felt a hand in her shoulder. Riven looked at the scene too.

"I don't believe you should worry… what is the term you call him?" Neeko found herself with a small smile.

"Co-´om Se-Henna." Riven nodded.

"You been traveling for a while. I doubt Sona Buvelle can just break that bond." Neeko sighed.

"Music is magic. Music is like Neeko, music is everywhere." Neeko saw Cid focused face as he prepared to throw the stone. She knew he could manage to make it skip a lot.

"Come on… you can win." She smiled softly looking at him getting ready. Riven found herself curious of how good he was at the childish activity.

To her surprise, while the stone didn't make it a long trip, it did many skips before falling down. The skips could be seen in the ripples and Sona kept counting them excited. Twenty-three.

She clapped at him and he looked embarrassed at the praise. She looked for another stone before obviously indicating one thing.

A rematch. He nodded as she looked less shy and more confident in their small game. Neeko saw the scene and found herself walking with Riven in tow. Neeko whistled at Cid who looked at her with a smile.

"Neeko! Guess who I just met!" He spoke excitedly as Neeko laughed.

"Neeko can see her Cid. No need to present her to Neeko." The girl walked towards Sona and offered her hand for her to shake.

As Sona was to grab it, Neeko retracted it, making Sona grasp air.

"To slow music lady! Neeko too fast!" She smiled as Sona looked to find it funny before offering her hand to Neeko. As expected Sona repeated the joke.

"Oh, you learn fast music lady." As this happened Riven wondered why Neeko called her by name, while Karma and Sona were referred as peaceful lady and music lady when she spoke of them. Why did she call her by name and not the others?

She felt a tap in her arm and was met with Cid offering her a stone.

"Mind showing what you got?" Cid smiled at her and she took the stone. She wasn't sure how much she could make the stone skip.

As she threw it in the water the stone fell immediately to the bottom of the pond after making a big splash by the strength she used. The result made Cid laugh.

"I am guessing you were never one for this game." Riven looked embarrassed. She wasn't used to failure. She expected teasing or taunts, what she got was another stone in her hand.

"Try to make the stone reach the water surface in such a way it angles and skips with the water, imagine the stone as a board, you are trying for it to fall in an angle forcing to clash against the water and keep moving." As she heard the explanation she tried again.

The result was the stone skipping more times. She smiled at seeing the stone going. And going. And going.

Cid was worried at how strong Riven was when they all heard the sound of something breaking in the darkness. Coming from the direction of the end of the pond. Riven had managed to make the stone go all over the lake.

"I believe that's our sign to go away," Cid spoke with calm as he started walking away and Neeko took Sona hand dragging her with them.

"Time to flee!" Riven was dumbfounded at how far she threw the stone. She heard the whistling of Cid who motioned for her to run.

The quartet abandoned the area and made a silent promise they wouldn't speak of the accident.

* * *

This time they were forced to stay out of the garden as Karma found them as she was walking. They were given rooms and Cid sighed as he saw Neeko going in circles around his room.

"My room also had a candle like this. And a bed like that. Mine has a window though." Cid chuckled.

"You will be sleeping here then?" She nodded with a smile.

"Neeko always sleep with you." Cid knew that sounded weird for most. But true was they did sleep together all the time.

"I would prefer if you stayed in your side of the room and didn't cross to mine." Neeko smiled. Her smile showed an obvious message together with her eyes.

I heard you. I don't care.

Cid sighed as he knew those eyes perfectly after their time traveling and just motioned for the bed. She immediately jumped in as he took to tuck the sheets around her. Once in the bed and tucked with the sheets she smiled.

"Will you tell me a story?" This had become a routine for them. The few times they chose to sleep in a place, she would do the same.

Cid chuckled ruffling her hair.

"Anything for my Co-´om Se-Henna." He smiled as he took to remember a story for her.

"Ever heard the one about the aspect of war Pantheon? Its legend has always crossed the lands and even reached my ears." Neeko smiled in excitement for the coming story.

What Cid didn't know was the walls of the rooms were thin. So Riven and Sona both found themselves placing their ears next to the walls hearing him tell the tale to Neeko.

As time flowed softly in the night, Neeko eyes slowly started closing as she fought to stay awake. She knew Cid tone of voice changed when he said stories to make her fall asleep easily. She refused to sleep. Not until she could say what she wanted to say.

"Co-´om Se-Henna. Stay…." She closed her eyes holding his hand as he smiled with tired eyes. He was falling asleep too.

"I will…" Cid was in the floor holding the hand of Neeko as he was starting to fall asleep. Not knowing two girls had heard him speak. And as he was falling asleep he kept speaking to Neeko. Nothing serious nor interesting. Just letting his thoughts out in the open.

One feeling oddly lonely as she compared her situation to the situation of the pair next to her room. The other feeling warm knowing she was traveling with such a pair.

* * *

Sona was in her room with her back against the wall. In the bed with her knees close to her chest. She had just spend time with an odd group. The man seemed human enough, if anything he only looked feminine and frail judging by his physique. The girl was a Vastaya… a curious one too. She had never seen one so colorful, in both personality and looks.

They seemed to also be in the company of a soldier. Judging by her posture she was reminded of Garen firm posture instead of the graceful posture of Fiora. They were an odd group by its members. Like a sort of troupe. They had their strongman, a magician and a dancer…

She was against the wall. Trying to feel some of the warmth from the other room.

She disliked the lonely darkness and its silence. Yet she was hearing the tired magician speak. Making the dark night bearable as his voice went through the thin wall behind her.

"Did you know… that I am not lonely when you are next to me?" The eyes of Sona opened up slightly more at those words.

She pushed her ear closer to the wall to listen to him speak.

"I mean… my job was a lonely one. Much trips… seeing people… but…in the end it was a lonely thing… not having someone close to me. Like really close…" She heard him yawn. But she wanted so badly for him to keep talking until she fell asleep. She didn't want the loneliness to envelope her.

"Then you appeared… and… I don't know… I guess you are just magical Neeko… more than you know… because the loneliness just doesn't exist as long as you are here… and I am wondering at times, if I am helping you more than you are actually helping me…." She heard a chuckle coming out of him; it was obvious he was falling asleep.

"I guess… I am just thankful… of being your Co-´om Se-Henna….." Sona heard a soft sound of him sleeping judging by his rhythmic breathing.

Co-´om Se-Henna….

Were they a couple? Why was she uncomfortable at the idea of that being true?

Her thoughts were broken by the sound of someone walking in the room of the odd pair. She heard a feminine laugh. She recognized it at the laugh of the Vastaya. She heard rustling sounds indicating she was carrying him.

"Cid… I am thankful too." Sona found herself lulling herself to sleep hearing the snores of the dancer and the soft breathing of the magician.

* * *

When the morning came Karma went to check on the guests that would be leaving. She was surprised to find the room of Neeko empty and in order. She didn't think they would leave so early and without saying goodbye.

As she walked to the room for Cid she found herself surprised. Not because Neeko was there. A part of her expected her to have run away with Cid to his room. No, she was surprised of seeing Sona Buvelle watching the sleeping pair. She was sitting on the floor, her knees supporting her arms, which were holding her head in place as she saw the sleeping pair with a smile.

Karma didn't know what to say at the scene so she politely coughed earning the attention of Sona.

"Is everything fine?" Sona looked with her cheeks on flames as she nodded embarrassedly. She was dressed in pajama pants and a long shirt. Karma took to see the bed she was looking for.

Neeko was holding Cid tightly in her sleep, Cid meanwhile was with a hand over the face of Neeko trying to push her away without strength, a weird posture. Then again. The pair wasn't normal.

Speaking of which they were waking up.

Neeko was the first to wake up as she stretched and brought out Cid glasses which she carefully placed in his face.

"Cid. We got visitors! That means breakfast is coming!" Cid woke up groggily trying to push Neeko away who found herself tightly hugging him as she placed a playful kiss in his cheek leaving him blushing.

"Yeah, now, release me you reckless shapeshifter." Neeko laughed as she only increased her grip.

Sona and Karma were seeing the exchange surprised they didn't seem to care people were watching them. Cid took notice of their expressions and with his cheeks reddening slightly he spoke.

"Is…is not the first time people find us sleeping together." Neeko nodded releasing him.

"Is the first time beautiful women do." She spoke with a hint of mischief. Neeko poked Cid in his cheek as she spoke, Sona nodding before embarrassed leaving the room. Karma did likewise.

Cid sighed looking at Neeko. He didn't question how he ended up in the bed with her.

"Good way to start the morning… now I doubt she will give me an autograph." He heard the sounds of Neeko changing and was surprised to meet the sultry smile of Sona Buvelle. He immediately closed his eyes as Neeko took back her own form.

"Don't tell me you wouldn't like that…" She tried to sound teasing but Cid noticed the underlying sadness in her tone.

He stood up from the bed dressed in his clothes of the previous day. He kneeled in front of her in the bed and smiled honestly at her.

"To say no would be to lie. And I promised to never lie to you…."

* * *

"_Neeko has no secrets! Not one!" Cid chuckled at her words._

"_Surely you got one. Everyone does." Neeko nodded._

"_Neeko has secrets. But none to you. Co-´om Se-Henna are honest to each other." She smiled brightly at him as he wondered._

"_Surely you got something you wouldn't tell me." She laughed._

"_Of course not! Neeko hides nothing from you now, nor never." She smiled brightly at him as he sighed._

"_I guess I am not going to hide anything from you either." Neeko nodded._

"_No secret between us. Always honest to the other." For a moment, Neeko looked much older as she spoke those words._

"_No secrets then." She nodded at his words. _

"_No secrets Cid. Neeko will always be honest to you."_

"_Then I will always be honest too."_

* * *

"I said I would always be honest to you." Neeko looked slowly downcast as she felt his hand ruffling her hair that was wild in the morning.

"And the honest thing is that while I wouldn't mind such a thing to happen… I would rather see your face every morning." Neeko eyes opened widely as she smiled and jumped from the bed towards him, tackling him into a hug dropping him to the floor.

"Cid!" She hugged him tightly before positioning herself, she knew he would push her so she took to pin his arms at the sides over his head as she smiled mischievously. Cid had hit his back in a slightly weird angle forcing a tear from his eyes.

A door opened.

"Hey you two, Karma says we should get a bath and…" Riven had opened the door and was met with the scene of Neeko pinning Cid. The therapist with the shadow of tears in his eye and Neeko smile of mischief.

As fast as she opened the door she closed it and went away as she heard Cid screaming.

"Riven! Is not what it looks like!" Riven heard the voice of Neeko laughing.

"Is exactly that!" She heard Cid screaming again.

"You don't know what she thinks she saw!" Laughing again.

"She saw us wrestling! Plus she saw me winning!" Cid screams and justifications didn't reach the ears of Riven who was covering her ears as her face was red in embarrassment at what she had seen. Or thought she had seen. She was seriously deciding to forget that start in the morning.

* * *

Needless to say Neeko said Cid could bath alone that day, as she was apologizing for the misunderstanding in the morning. But her words weren't exactly so sorry.

"_You can bath alone this time. But only this time!" She raised her finger to indicate the number._

Cid sighed as he was taking the bath. Thinking on what happened in the morning. For a moment he had been rather blunt with Neeko about seeing her face every morning. He blushed in embarrassment at this.

He didn't mean much more than that. He really liked her. romantically? He wasn't sure, after all there were details that wouldn't allow that. He was sure of something though.

He wanted to stay close to her.

In the women bath Neeko was playing with the water as Riven was washing herself and wondering if she should ask the girl on what happened in the morning.

"Neeko… in the morning you two were…" The girl answered immediately.

"Wrestling! Neeko won too!" Neeko was smiling at her victory. Riven sighed in relief.

"So you two weren't going to do anything else?" Neeko laughed as she washed her hair.

"Neeko was going to kiss Cid. That's all." Neeko spoke as she washed her hair with a smile making sure it was clean. Riven meanwhile was surprised.

"You two kiss?" Neeko nodded.

"I do. He doesn't." She spoke in that serious tone she rarely had. Riven noticed Neeko was always playful, and at times, she seemed to be serious. It was hard predicting the change.

"How does that works?" Riven asked curiously.

"I kiss his cheek when I want him to wake up. He always get embarrassed." Neeko spoke as she felt herself being clean. Riven was still with questions.

"Isn't that… sort of personal? Like a couple thing?" Neeko shrugged.

"Not really. Lots of people kiss." She spoke as if it wasn't the big deal. As she was in thought, she felt Neeko kiss her own cheek making her step back in the water at the surprise of Neeko act.

"See? Nothing special. I kissed your cheek and you are my friend." Neeko smiled as she left the bath, leaving a confused Riven on what Neeko considered normal.

"Neither of them is normal…" She sighed as she relaxed in the water.

* * *

Cid and Neeko were in their room after breakfast with Karma and her guest Sona. Riven sat both the shapeshifter and the therapist in the room so they explained to her what they were. Where they stood and what happened. She was confused and wanted answers.

Neeko simply smiled nodding at Riven, feeling happy the girl was opening up to them to ask such questions. Cid scratched the back of his head as he wondered how to explain it to Riven.

"I guess… Neeko can start." Neeko smiled and looked at Riven.

"Neeko and Cid are friends! We smile forever next to the other. That's what the title I call him means. He calls me the same way because he also smiles forever next to me." Neeko spoke with happiness in her voice.

"Isn't that marriage?" Neeko giggled.

"It can look like that. We are just openly expressing our care for the other. Neeko belongs with Cid. And Cid belongs to Neeko." Riven sighed, not having a better insight.

At this Cid spoke.

"What she means, is we do stuff together all the time. We trust each other… I guess is weird to see how we do much stuff together." Riven nodded.

"Is just… it seems rather personal. You two sleep together, she kisses you, you… well…" Riven wasn't sure what words to use.

"We seem to be joined by the hip?" Riven found the expression weird but fitting. Neeko nodded before speaking.

"We are joined by something much deeper. We are joined by emotions. But we are not couple." Cid nodded.

"Why?" At this Cid chuckled before pointing at himself.

"You know what Neeko and I got in common?" Riven shrugged.

"You two are crazy?" Cid chuckled.

"Close but not. We both like girls." Riven was about to ask when she understood.

"Oh…" Cid nodded before ruffling the hair of Neeko who smiled at it.

"I hope you don't feel uncomfortable knowing that. But Neeko is into girls. Like me." Neeko nodded.

"Don't worry Riven! You are not my type." Riven wasn't sure if she should feel offended or thankful. Seeing how she interacted with Cid. The second.

"I see… but if you two are not romantically inclined…. Why act the way you do?" Cid and Neeko laughed.

"Because we are friends Riven. There is nothing wrong in friends liking each other and doing stuff together. In the end we are just friends." Neeko nodded at the words of Cid.

"Cid likes girls. I like girls too. But that doesn't mean I can't like to spend time with Cid. Nor does it mean Cid can't be close to me without the need of being a relationship. We are friends. Friends who smile forever next to the other." Neeko went to hug Cid who tried to pry her off from him.

Riven sighed not really knowing but getting a better idea at least.

"Well… I guess I can get it." Neeko nodded before excusing herself to go outside to see if she could find cheese bread in the kitchen.

As she excused herself Cid looked at Riven.

"In the end. She is allowed to like and do whatever she wants Riven. I do the same. I enjoy her presence next to me. However, I doubt I could offer Neeko what she needs in a romance. I am not that good at big shows affections, neither giving nor receiving them. Neeko is an explosion of feelings and sensations. I believe the Vastayashai'rei must have been really expressive in their feelings." Riven nodded at the more detailed expression of Cid. She asked something she was truly curious.

"What will you do…. If she leaves? You speak as if you expect something like that." Cid nodded.

"The same I did before. Keep working and living. If Neeko were to leave me, I would be saddened by a while. But that wouldn't stop me of living my life… it would be insulting for our friendship if I were to do such a thing." Riven nodded. A small smile in her face.

"You two really care for the other don't you?" Cid nodded.

"I only want her to be happy." Cid smiled as he spoke the honest words of his heart.

"Even if such happiness was only possible by her leaving?" He nodded.

"Yes. If that is the price for her happiness, so be it. However, it would be a crime to stop her of being happy. If someone deserves to live happily is Neeko." Riven nodded.

Many others wouldn't take the extreme Cid chose to. But for him, the happiness of Neeko was the most important aspect in their friendship. Riven understood that. And maybe because she knew how hard such a thing would be is that she stood and hugged Cid.

"You are a weird doctor." She spoke as she broke the hug.

"That I am." Riven smiled. None seeing the peeking eye hid under blue hair.

* * *

Sona felt happy and conflicted. For one part. Cid wasn't in a relationship with Neeko. For the other. He seemed to hold the girl in a pedestal and obviously cared for her. Then again. They weren't dating.

Technically, she wasn't doing anything bad…

Sona knocked on the door of the room and opened the door. Making Cid smiled and Riven to nod formally.

"Greetings Sona, need anything?" The girl nodded signing at Cid. Hoping he could understand.

"_I would like to take you to walk with me. If that was okay." _She smiled as she hoped he got the signs.

She saw him smirk as he signed back.

"_Of course. I will call Neeko and we can all go." _Sona seemed to fidget for a moment before signing again.

"_I was hoping a two-person act. You know. Just you and me." _The comment made Cid look slightly nervous but nodded.

"Riven, I will be going with Sona for a walk." Riven nodded getting the message that he was going alone.

"Have fun." Riven waved as he went out following the excited maven of strings.

As they left Riven let herself get comfortable to clean her broken sword.

* * *

As Riven cleaned her sword Neeko was in thought in the garden of meditation.

She was sitting in the grass watching the sky. Seeing as she couldn't find cheese bread she sighed and watched the sky.

As she sighed she noticed the blue hair of Sona in the distance, but what caught her eye was the messy dark hair next to her. As Neeko focused she noticed Sona had taken Cid away.

"Is she? Is she stealing him?" Neeko decided to follow the pair.

As they walked Sona made sure to help support Cid to avoid him of using his cane. Neeko didn't got why she did that, but she did notice the girl seemed to be happy. Too happy…

"What makes her so happy." As Neeko approached them hiding as they walked she knew she needed to be careful. Cid was good at knowing when people were tailing him or acting suspiciously.

But she guessed she could still hear their conversations. She thought that until she saw them signing.

"Great…. I forgot she doesn't speak!" She sighed. She would just need to focus on their expressions.

She changed her form to look like a random passerby she saw before and walked around them. She noticed Sona smiling and how she seemed to flick her hair so Cid could look more at her eyes. The small gestures, her smiles, how she was helping him…

She is interested in him? Neeko sighed following the pair.

Sona was having a fun time with whom she deemed a magician. They managed to chat with each other signing. She had so far learned he was simply moving through work in one place to another wherever he was asked to go. Normally he was contacted through letters or people looking for him and his odd set of skills.

He also revealed he and Neeko had been traveling for two months together. This particular piece of information surprised her. They took to get into a place Karma recommended her if she wanted privacy while eating.

The place was a small tea house. It had a comfy vibe and the usual Ionian architecture. All in all it was closed and with small windows to provide light but no vision of the outside due to their location high in the walls. It looked dark but not uncomfortable by any means. If anything, it gave a better feeling of privacy.

As they went to seat in a far corner surrounded by small pillows for them to seat. Sona helped him walk. Cid looked embarrassed as he spoke.

"I… I apologize; I am not used at getting so much help… I hope you don't mind my leg." Sona waved him off as she signed.

"_I love to help. That's what I do with my music." _She smiled softly as she sat elegantly. An opposite of how he just let himself fall.

Sona seemed to find him funny in his actions.

"_You are rather carefree are you not?" _Cid nodded at her signs. Deciding to sign back at her, he answered her question.

"_I am. There is not much use in worrying of all the details. I do feel embarrassed when people help me. I try to do stuff alone if possible." _Sona smiled softly.

"_There is no shame in receiving help. I surely cant do everything alone. My friend Fiora Laurent. She often helps me to keep people away." _Sona seemed to have fond memories of Fiora as Cid saw her reactions as she spoke of her. But something did strike familiar to him.

"_Laurent? The duelist?" _Cid had heard the rumors of the invincible duelist. If rumors were to be believed, the daughter of the previous master of house Laurent was an invincible woman who fought fast and without failure. She had yet to taste defeat according to rumors.

A part of him could only feel respect at the knowledge of a woman who dedicated herself to be the best in her craft. No matter whom she fought, no matter who challenged her. According to the rumors she would always accept any duel and fight to the best of her ability. Unbeatable, like iron she would rather break first than bend against any opponent.

"_Indeed. Believe it or not she is nicer than people may believe." _Sona smiled with a hint of sadness. Fiora was nice. So far as you could endure her harsh comments and abrasive attitude at times.

She carried much anger with her since she defeated her own father after finding out how much she cheated in the duels.

She felt a poke in her nose and she found herself covering it with her hands in alarm, finding the smiling magician.

"Don't worry. I may not know what is on your mind. But I can see the worry in your face." He smiled at her and she found herself smiling while feeling slightly embarrassed at the contact with her nose.

She tried to act snobbish as she signed at him.

"_Have you no shame? What kind of gentlemen touches a lady in such a way." _She saw him laugh lightly as he signed.

"_One who doesn't look like one for starters." _Sona found herself smiling and feeling warm. She couldn't find herself faking anger at him. She found it unfair.

"_How am I supposed to make you apologize if I can't stay angry at you? You were supposed to apologize and comment on my good looks." _She smiled and felt surprised at what he spoke back at her.

"But we both already know you are beautiful, you got hair that is the color of the sky."Sona found herself feeling warm in her cheeks and she decided to focus on the menu of the teahouse. Hearing the soft laugh of the magician.

* * *

Neeko was transformed as a woman when she was in the teahouse watching Cid and Sona interact. She had a hard time getting their conversation, except for the few times Cid actually spoke. But judging from what she was seeing she could get a general idea.

It was obvious they were having a good time. She found herself smiling at seeing him relaxing. But a part of her, a small part was feeling slightly uncomfortable as she saw Sona reactions to him. Was she trying to take him away?

She found herself muttering as she played with her teacup.

"He is my Co-´om Se-Henna…mine…" She sipped the contents of her cup before sighing with a small smile in her face as she remembered fond memories.

* * *

"_What's so good about tea?" She asked sipping the drink._

"_To me? Nothing. To others, it is a delicacy." He spoke drinking his own cup. Neeko scratched her head._

"_I am not getting the delicacy in this. I believe chocolate was much better." He nodded._

"_Chocolate is much better to me too. However, you can't expect every place to have it… at least not in Ionia. Tea is much more common here. But if we move to other zones with more trade we can get chocolate." Neeko perked up at this._

"_We can order a big bowl of chocolate and share it!" Cid looked at her with a smirk in his face._

"_So you can take my share too?" Neeko smiled nodding._

"_Of course! What is yours is mine! And what is mine is yours too!" She spoke honestly, as she offered her drink to him._

* * *

She sighed letting the teacup in the table looking again at the pair. She didn't understand why she felt so weird of seeing him with other girls. She knew her romantic interests lay with girls. But it wasn't she was fearing for him to be in a relationship and be in a couple with someone else.

It was the fear of him leaving.

More exactly leaving her behind. She knew Cid would never mind if she were to be gone away with someone else. And she thought it was unfair how easily he seemed to accept the idea of her going off with a girl. If he found it so easily. Why couldn't she do the same?

She found herself reading the menu and finding chocolate was listed.

She smiled at this and ordered a big bowl.

Sona was smiling at how much she was enjoying the simple presence of Cid. And now it was time to see if she could get to do what she wanted. She breathed before signing at him.

"_Would you like to spend some time in Demacia with me? I believe you could find work there too." _She smiled excitedly at him. He seemed to be in thought as he signed at her.

"_I don't know… I would need to have a place that could fit three people. I can't have Riven and Neeko sleep in a park in Demacia." _Sona signed at him.

"_You could all stay in my home at the Buvelle mansion." _She smiled and Cid could see in her eyes she wanted him to say yes.

"_Normally I go and see people because there is work… are you sure?" _Sona nodded as she signed and made a silent apology to Fiora.

"_I believe my friend Fiora could use your help. Would you go then?" _Cid sighed.

"_Seems to me you already know the answer. When shall we part?" _Sona clapped as she smiled brightly.

"_We can all go tomorrow." _She signed at him and apologized as she left gold coins in the table signing quickly she would go and prepare everything. With a quick hug, she left him.

Cid found himself chuckling as he took some of the extra gold coins and sat in a table far with a woman who was getting a big bowl. He supported himself with the cane as he walked towards her.

"This seat isn't taken is it?" The woman stayed silent, as she looked nervous. He smiled as he sighed.

"I know is you Neeko. Staying silent won't help." Neeko sighed as she took on her real form.

"How did you know it was Neeko?" She spoke looking at him with a sad smile.

He tried to ruffle her hair when she swatted his hand away, surprising him at how sharp the gesture had been. He focused in her expression as he spoke.

"I noticed someone was following me. And it didn't hurt I heard your voice saying you forgot Sona didn't speak." Neeko looked slightly sad. He wanted to hold her hand when she removed it from where he could reach.

"Neeko?" The girl looked down as she sighed.

"Cid. What are we?" The question surprised him.

"Well… we are friends. We travel together. We are Co-´om Se-Henna remember?" Neeko sighed nodding.

"Then why does it bother me when you speak with other girls?" Neeko asked with a frown in her face. Cid felt a frown didn't belong in the face of the happy girl.

"I…" He didn't want to speak. For if he did he would lie. And he had promised to never lie to her.

"I guess you don't want me to leave you alone… but you know I am not going to do that right? If… and is one huge if… Sona and I started something. You know you would still be my best friend. We would still travel together if anything I would tell Sona to travel with us, but I wouldn't send you away." Neeko nodded. She looked at her reflection in the still chocolate.

"Neeko knows that. I just don't get why it bothers Neeko." She sighed as she looked down and then noticed Cid had stood up to sit right beside her.

"I don't know Neeko. And if you don't know it I can't possibly know it either." He patted her head as she didn't swat his hand away but leaned next to him.

"Neeko dislikes this stuff. Neeko prefers much easier stuff…" Cid nodded. He agreed with that.

"What do you say we drink that chocolate before it gets cold…. And we go and invite girls for dinner? I will be your support as you flirt with some." Neeko laughed at this but nodded.

"Neeko likes that… why not take let Neeko take you for dinner?" He chuckled ruffling her hair making her laugh as he spoke.

"Do you even have money?" Neeko sheepishly looked at him.

"Neeko hoped you would lend her money." He sighed knowing she would have done that. Nonetheless, he smiled as they got closer to the other and shared the chocolate bowl between them. Both drinking big gulp, making a mess and not caring. After they put the bowl in place. Both saying the same thing.

"Hot!" Both laughed at the other whose tongue was burning. Both earning stares of the staff.

They may not know what was in the mind of the other. They may have bumps in the road. But in the end both Neeko and Cid knew something.

They cared for each other.

* * *

Riven was taking a nap in peaceful relaxation when she felt a weight fall over her. She pushed the weight aside and heard a yelp of surprise. As she opened her eyes she saw Neeko on the floor.

"You are stronger than you seem Riven! Cid has never been able to push me off." She was laying in the floor with her back meeting the floor and her face looking at the roof.

Riven sighed waking up and looking at the smiling Neeko.

"You seem happy… I am guessing you are feeling better?" Neeko nodded making Riven have a small smile in her face.

"Good. I was getting tired of you being down." Neeko laughed.

"Only you can be down?" Riven sighed.

"No one should be feeling down." Neeko smiled as she stood up.

"Neeko and Cid will go flirt with girls. Want to come?" She spoke with a smile at the question that seemed so out of place to her she found herself letting out a laugh in disbelief.

She was having troubles understanding the route her life was taking.

"I…" Neeko approached her with a smile.

"If you don't know how Neeko can give you tips! If you see a cute girl say, Fa Hasici! It means you like her, in a good way." She smiled as Riven cheeks felt slightly warm before her face became serious. As much as she could.

"I… I am okay. I am not interested." Neeko nodded patting her in the head.

"Don't worry Riven. Not everyone is as smooth as Neeko." As the girl left Riven let out a breath and fell on the bed.

"I can barely deal with her… how do Cid deals with her so much?" She sighed.

"Lots of patience. Plus she is my friend, so I can deal with her more than others." Feeling surprised when she heard a voice. She looked alarmed at the door to see Cid in his usual coat and hair messy as always.

"I didn't meant…" She felt embarrassed thinking she might have said something offensive; she received a wave of dismissal with a smile.

"Don't worry. Neeko can be too much for people at times. This thing of going to flirt with girls is destined to be messy. So I need to go and make sure I am doing damage control." Riven blinked at this.

He knew this was a bad idea and still left her?

"She has the right to try Riven. Everyone wants to find love." He spoke with a soft smile as he remembered something.

"Oh, Riven, we will be going with Sona tomorrow to travel for Demacia. Don't worry of anything, nothing bad will happen so long as you stay with me and Neeko." He knew that since Riven was an exiled of Noxus the law wouldn't apply the same to her. Plus most of her fights had been in Ionia. Not in Demacia, so there should be no bad blood with her laying there.

Riven nodded at his words.

"I will be ready…. Do you need help with Neeko?" He smiled at her question.

"Don't worry, is not my first time seeing her flirt. Everything will go well…. but just in case we don't come back when the night comes, do ask Karma to send someone looking for us." Cid chuckled remembering they weren't well received in a small village after Neeko flirted with the chief daughter.

Riven didn't get much comfort from that.

* * *

Neeko needless to say, was having fun flirting with girls. Many who either didn't feel interested or just left. The chameleon sighed at this.

"Tough crowd. Neeko believes maybe Cid is trampling Neeko style." Cid chuckled at this.

"Sure I am. That's my evil plan all along, trample your style." Neeko let her tongue out at him with no malice as she smiled.

"Well, the capital is big… maybe I can try flirting with Akali?" Cid chuckled remembering the chef.

"Maybe. But she did seem more interested in me remember?" Neeko laughed this time.

"True! Her evil plan is obvious! Get to me by being with you! Such a heinous plan!" Both laughed this time, earning stares of the people who were around the odd pair who were in a side hug laughing.

As they laughed they heard a woman cough and saw Akali standing there while carrying a fish.

"I guess inviting your date for dinner is inappropriate Neeko?" Neeko giggled.

"Cid is not Neeko date today. Neeko was trying to get a date though." She smiled simply and Akali found herself with a small smile.

"Tell you what, I invite both of you for dinner and you tell me how that flirting went." Both nodded walking behind Akali.

Neeko told her as they walked inside her place on how she seemed to intimidate some girls.

"Is it because I am taller than them?" Akali shrugged as she tossed the fish into the bar for her to cut.

"No. If I had to say, maybe you are trying too hard. You need to be subtler. Like this." She approached Cid making him walk backward until he was standing in the wall. She then let her hand get to the side of his head as she smiled at him.

"Hey there… can I take you to dinner?" Cid looked at Akali and then at Neeko.

"This is aggressive too you know that right?" Akali chuckled. Before pointing at herself.

"Come on; don't tell me your heart didn't skip a beat seeing me smile at you." She was smiling as Cid laughed.

"My heart may have been skipping to fast sensing you were trying to corner me. But if you ask me you were looking prettier when you were smiling softly last time." This time Akali turned red in the cheek pushing him slightly.

"You tease! Don't go flirting with me." Neeko seeing the whole thing found herself taking notes.

"Oh! Honesty strikes points quickly… but Neeko already does that!" She was in thought what did Cid made differently to make Akali cheeks turn red.

She didn't have much time to think when she was met with a dish of food.

"Here you go. A little bird told me you liked this." Neeko eyes started to water as she brought Akali into a tight hug.

"Thank you!" Cheese bread. Cid saw it and found himself laughing. Karma must have told Akali about it.

Akali didn't have troubles prying Neeko off her. Cid considered this on how strong she had to be to do such a thing. Sure, he was weak, but even strong people had a hard time with Neeko.

Neeko proceeded to bite the bread with a smile. Making Akali nod at her ability baking.

"I am more into dishes that require cutting, but baking is easy with practice too." She spoke sitting next to Cid.

"So, what is next for you and your odd group?" Cid chuckled at the term.

"I will be going to Demacia. Sona invited me saying her friend could use the help of my services." Akali nodded slowly.

"And here I was hoping you got to meet Shen and Kennen… maybe next time you visit?" She sounded slightly hopeful and he nodded.

"I would love to visit Ionia again. Is a nice place." Akali nodded with a smile.

"Good. It would be a shame if my newest friends didn't come to visit." Cid smiled at her words. She smiled mischievously as she grabbed his coat bringing him close to her.

"Who knows, I may visit you myself…" She smiled as he looked nervous as she ended her speech. In the end, Cid just nodded and smiled albeit a bit nervously, which only made Akali smile even more at his reaction.

Neeko peeked between both of them and offered half of the bread to Cid with a smile. Cid was surprised at this.

"Don't you want to eat the rest Neeko?" She smiled offering it to him.

"No. I want to share. What is yours is mine. And what is mine is yours too remember?" She spoke with a soft smile as he took the bread, bringing him fond memories.

* * *

"_Of course! What is yours is mine! And what is mine is yours too!" She spoke honestly, as she offered her drink to him. _

"_So can we change? I didn't like my tea that much." She spoke with a smile as he laughed._

"_Sure. Whatever I own is yours Neeko." Neeko nodded thankfully as she took his drink. Smiling._

"_What I own is yours to Cid. We are Co-´om Se-Henna now and forever!" He smiled drinking her tea and sighing. _

"_This is too sweet… how much sugar did you put in this thing?" She looked sheepishly as she ended his drink._

* * *

He took a bite of the bread. It tasted just as he expected and he looked at Akali.

"This was wonderful, thanks Akali." Neeko nodded agreeing with Cid. Akali made a small vow thanking them for their words.

The group kept chatting on how flirting worked in an amicable friendship. Cid thinking on how it was the first time Neeko shared cheese bread with him since she found out about it. As time passed the pair excused themselves with Akali wishing her a good night as they went back to the Placidium.

At night. In the gardens of meditation on the Placidium Riven was practicing her sword slashes. As she was going over her moves she found herself deflecting a sharp flying blade. As she deflected it she saw the blade move back towards it owner.

She sighed.

"Irelia." She saw the figure of the guardian of Ionia looking at her with disdain.

"I heard you are going to run away." Riven sighed looking at her. In time she would have thanked her for ending her life. That was before she remembered who she was.

"I am going with Cid and Neeko." Irelia scoffed.

"I don't care for their names. They don't know who is traveling with them… such fools." At this Riven walked forward her sword in hand aimed at Irelia.

"Don't speak of them like that. You don't know them." Neither she knew them fully. But she knew they weren't fools. And the fact Riven found herself defending them was a proof she honestly cared for them.

Irelia didn't need more to go forward to attack Riven. But their fight wouldn't not be happening. As Irelia lunged herself Riven saw a ring of energy going by holding Irelia in place when it touched her. Then she heard a scream.

"Close your eyes!" She knew that voice and chose to trust it. As her eyes closed she heard a sound of a small explosion and when she opened her eyes she saw Irelia grasping her eyes cursing at the sudden blindness enveloping her.

Riven looked at the direction of the voice and found Neeko hugging her tightly.

"She didn't hurt you right?" The chameleon was looking her all over making sure she had no injuries Riven tried to calm her down and Neeko nodded, standing in front of Riven focusing in Irelia.

As Neeko focused on Irelia, Cid and Karma walked together. Riven noticing Cid was focusing in Irelia too. As they approached her, Cid spoke.

"Sorry if I scared you. But the flashbang is quite effective at that range so it was better to make sure your eyes were closed." She nodded understanding he threw the small carcass of an item that blinded Irelia.

Riven was wondering if Cid had all sort of trinkets inside his coat.

"It's okay. She didn't hurt me either…" Karma kept walking now focusing in Irelia.

"Irelia. Attacking Riven was a direct contradiction to what I told you. Were my words not clear enough?" Irelia looked down. Her eyes already able to see again.

"Apologize." Irelia looked alarmed at this but Riven spoke.

"I don't need her apologies. We will be leaving tomorrow. So as long as she doesn't try fighting me again I am okay with that." Karma nodded holding Irelia by the arm and walking with her.

Riven found herself smiling at the idea Irelia was defeated not by her sword, but by the pair of fools, she mentioned before. That had to sting her pride.

* * *

They walked back to their rooms. Riven surprised at the fact Neeko entered her room first. Before Riven had a chance to speak Cid patted her in the back.

"She is going to make a sleepover. Don't try to stop her." She noticed Neeko dragging her sheets and a mattress getting it inside the room of Cid.

"Riven is sleeping with us tonight Cid!" Cid nodded at Neeko.

"Sure, let's go Riven." He guided her to the room as she sighed in defeat. She heard the voice of Cid.

"She is worried…. I am too for that matter. We don't want you getting hurt. You are our partner." She noticed the term and nodded thanking him in a low voice.

Riven saw the floor of their room was consisting of the mattresses and sheets in the floor covering the floor.

Neeko was in the middle. Patting the right.

"Cid can sleep on this side! You can sleep in the left Riven! I will stay in the middle because I am the one holding the mattresses together." Neeko smiled as Riven brought pillows. To her surprise, she pushed her off to the other mattress.

"You sleep with Cid. And I sleep on this side, alone, and you don't pass that pillow barrier sound good?" Neeko nodded. Not minding the new change. The trio just let themselves fall on the mattresses. Not caring they hadn't change clothes.

The day had been emotionally long for them.

As the night flowed Sona was in her room smiling. She didn't mind the loneliness of the night thinking about how she would be having someone close to her soon. She had enjoyed her day with the magician.

She had prepared everything for their trip to Demacia.

She felt they had made a good connection in the day.

She didn't know it. But she was thinking something similar to other two girls.

"_He is mine." _

For in the shadows away from the sight of the city, someone who could feel the energy in a way similar to Neeko was smiling, her tails swishing in the night air.

"I found you Cid…" She smiled, showing pearly white fangs that shone in the light of the moon.

* * *

Cid, Riven, Neeko and Sona found themselves in a carriage that would take them to a special place. A mage society. Those who studied magic were all about making guilds for their talents and keeping them safe and alive. In those places, one could get help for certain actions. But there was one thing the mages kept safely in their hands, and charged high for it.

A teleportation service. One could pay up a sum to be teleported to another building of the mages. Every nation had one. But not all could send you to the same place. Ionia could get you into Demacia and Bilgewater. But it couldn't take you to Noxus.

Noxus likewise couldn't get you into Demacia and Ionia. However, it could get you to Freljord and Shurima. Teleportation was something expensive as only they knew how to do it. Rumors went around a powerful mage who traveled the land and could teleport groups of hundreds. So far the mages were only able to teleport up to six people at a time.

Not useful to send an army. Perfect for people with gold who wanted to see the world.

Cid didn't have enough funds to spend on teleport services. One client once requested his immediate appearance and paid for the teleport services. After feeling his stomach spin so many times he promised to never use them again.

At Sona insistence, he would be breaking that promise.

He sighed as Neeko enjoyed the carriage ride.

As he looked through one of the windows of the carriage, he saw the bushes and trees of Ionia for the last time. He would be saying good-bye for them until later. As he saw them, he remembered something that got him shuddering.

Neeko noticed this and spoke.

"Don't tell me you think Ahri is still following us." Riven raised an eyebrow at this.

"Ahri?" Neeko nodded.

"She is Cid stalker ever since he set a foot in Ionia." Sona looked at Neeko with curiosity. Signing at Cid.

"_How did that happen?_" Cid sighed.

"It all happened when we got lost in the woods."

* * *

_As Cid and Neeko walked in a forest far from the road they heard rustling in the woods._

"_Who's there?" Cid asked while supporting himself with his cane. Neeko eyes shot open as she looked at a pair of ears._

"_Vastaya! A fox!" Neeko smiled until she was surprised at seeing the female figure revealing herself with nine tails behind her._

"_Nine tailed fox…. I had never seen one before." Neeko spoke being mesmerized by the woman. _

_Neeko was finding her to be absolutely beautiful. As she was walking forward she tripped and saw Cid used the hooked part of his cane to make her trip. She felt anger without reason and then surprise decorated her face seeing the worried face of Cid._

"_Neeko? Can you hear me now?" Neeko nodded standing up. Looking at the woman who was smirking. _

"_Such a shame. And here I thought you would be easy prey." She seemed to charge an orb with energy before shooting it forward. Neeko jumped to the side as Cid threw himself to the other._

_The woman walked towards Cid. Neeko tried to jump at her when she suddenly found herself mesmerized again. This time standing still. _

"_Be a good girl and walk away will you?" The mesmerized girl nodding walking away in a direction opposite to them. _

"_Now seeing your little friend is gone. Mind answering a few questions? If you behave I might even give you a reward." She winked at him. He walked a step back. _

"_What about. No." She didn't notice when he got his hand into his coat, what she did saw was the explosion of light coming from his hand. _

_Cid wasn't fast. But he hoped that blinding her would give him a bit of leeway. As she heard the woman curse by releasing a growl he moved to get lost in the woods. _

"_I love when prey plays hard to get. But trust me. Once you see my eyes you won't be moving away!" Cid sighed as he let out a scream._

"_Good luck at finding me while blind lady." He sighed. He only had five flashbangs with him. Four now. _

"_Who says I need my eyes to find you." Cid heard the voice coming next to him. To his surprise, the fox Vastaya was next to him sniffing the air._

"_You got a particular scent. Easy to track." She smiled revealing her fangs at him. As she let her arms go to catch him, he did the only thing he thought of._

_To push her away with the cane. _

_The result was a grunt from both of them. One from the woman who got a cane to hit her chest, and one of the weak man pushing her._

_As he tried to run, he thought of Neeko. Whatever happened to her he didn't know. Nevertheless, when she saw the fox Vastaya she seemed to act as if hypnotized. _

_If luck got on his side, she would trip with a branch or something and get her sense back. _

_He found himself tripping as he saw a fluffy binding; a tail from the fox Vastaya tripped him. She walked with elegance one wouldn't expect of a woman in the forest. She smiled at him._

"_For someone so weak, you really try to fight back. But enough of that, look at my eyes now would you." She smiled, and as she opened her eyes, he closed his. _

_She giggled. When he felt a claw digging in his arm, he closed his eyes tighter. He heard her sigh._

"_This would be much easier if you just opened your eyes. I am just going to ask you a few questions." She spoke with a sultry voice. As if trying to tempt him. He refused until with a strength one wouldn't expect of her she pushed him against a tree forcing him to open his eyes from the impact that took away the air of him. _

_As he opened his eyes, he saw the golden orbs of the fox Vastaya who smiled. Then her face turned into confusion._

"_Eh? This is a first… are you not going to comment on how beautiful I am? Or how I am unique?" She spoke with curiosity but never releasing him from her grasp._

"_I… don't know what you are expecting lady… but I am not one to compliment women who just try to kill me." The fox Vastaya spoke._

"_Ahri. My name is Ahri. Now tell me yours." She smiled, looking excited about reasons he didn't understand._

"_Cid… and my friend you send walking away is Neeko." She nodded. _

"_A Vastaya like me right?" He moved his head to deny it._

"_No. She is different. She is a Vastayashai'rei. She is more colorful." Ahri smirked at this as she flicked her hair. _

"_Surely you don't mean to say she is prettier than me." He found himself chuckling even though she wasn't releasing him._

"_What? Scared of not being the prettiest girl in the woods?" Ahri smiled as she approached his face. _

"_Maybe I am of the jealous of type." Cid felt without options. It was then a scream came. _

"_Release him!" The next thing Ahri saw was a ring of energy coming the way that she avoided. She smiled at Neeko who looked angry. _

"_Is not fun to mess with Neeko head!" It was then Cid noticed she had a twig in her hair. She must have tripped and just got her conscience back. _

"_Is not good to interrupt a conversation." She smirked and as Neeko was about to say something else Ahri winked at her. Making her stand still. Her eyes clouded again._

"_That will keep her in place." She smiled looking at Cid in the floor. To his surprise, she picked him up and helped him stand up._

"_Can't say I understand why it doesn't work on you…. But I like that." She brought him next to her into a hug._

"_Plus is nice being called lady instead of monster… and you said that without me making you do it…" She held the hug softly, he was too stunned to speak when she nibbled his ear, surprising him. He stepped back falling and she giggled. _

"_You are mine now Cid…" She smiled until her smile turned into a frown when many voices came from the woods._

"_I guess it will have to wait… but don't worry. I will find you and pick you up so we can continue this chat... goodbye for now Cid" She smiled as she threw a kiss at him and ran away. _

_As she went away, Neeko eyes turned back to normal._

"_Agh! Curse that fox!" She approached Cid asking him if he was okay as people from a village came to help them, while others went in the hunt of the fox woman who ate people souls._

* * *

He touched his ear that didn't have any marks as he finished the story.

"She seemingly could hypnotize people, once she did that she would take their spirits away. Ahri is dangerous and well known in Ionia." Neeko fumed as he finished the story.

"And she fights cheating! She makes you see her as the loveliest thing ever and you just obey her!" She sighed looking at Cid.

"It didn't work on you though. Why?" Cid shrugged.

"I am not sure. Neither did Ahri. But she did promise to come for me…" He sighed and let himself relax as Neeko spoke.

"She wants to make you her Co-´om He-Senna. Nevertheless, she will not! Cause you are mine!" Neeko spoke loudly making Riven smile and Sona nod kindly. Though she was thinking something similar.

"_He will be mine, so she will have to be ready to try to take him away." _Sona instrument was under the carriage. Waiting for her command to come to her hands and release its magic.

The journey would be short. But what would happen was anyone's game.

* * *

**CUT! **

**This is really fun to do and it relaxes me, I hope you are enjoying it as much as I do! **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 2.- The therapist and the shapeshifter speak of stalkers tendencies, honesty, integrity and innocent actions. How alcohol is a bad friend when in need of consult. You can't run from problems, and you can't run from who you are. **_

There is a saying that says people will often go doing what they believe is right even if they got no basis for it. Cid had come to believe this as he had constantly see Neeko doing whatever she thought was right to do. So it didn't came as a surprise to find himself walking with his cane on the left side, motioning for her to don't go touching anything from the mages guild. They were preparing the teleport spell to send the group to Demacia.

"Neeko, no." He sighed as the excited girl was going around the hallway.

"Neeko, yes!" She said excitedly as she was going around the hallway at a fast pace.

She knew that Cid couldn't just run for her, but she also didn't want to be caught by him when she was seeing something new. She knew the perfect distance to be on reach at same time she wasn't close enough to be grabbed.

Cid sighed as he kept walking with a smile on his face. As weird as it may look, this was normal, Neeko was moving fast, but not so fast as to leave him long behind. Rather just so, he couldn't grab her. Neeko usual way of playing with him, teasing him to run but without any real intention.

As they kept moving a robed magician approached Cid.

"Excuse me sir. Could you follow me? We need to check something with you before the teleport." Neeko halted immediately when Cid stopped.

"Cid?" Neeko spoke with curiosity walking towards him. The mage stopping her raising his hand.

"Only he needs to come lady. Is just to check about the fake leg. We had some troubles before sending a prosthetic. So we need to be sure nothing happens." Neeko looked at the man with distrust before Cid smiled at her.

"Don't worry Neeko. Surely it won't take long." Neeko nodded walking away while Cid and the mage entered to the room on the side of the hallway.

Neeko never left though, she had made an image of herself walking and taking the corner, but the real Neeko had simply become invisible. She didn't trust the mage. She wasn't sure why.

Cid meanwhile was walking with the mage in the room. It was a big room poorly lit; Cid noticed the room was for storage, he saw bread and other foods in racks. As he looked around, he wondered why they would do a checkup in such a room. It was then the mage collapsed without warning.

"What?" Cid moved forward alarmed looking at the mage, placing a hand on his neck he found a pulse, but what made him collapse?

"Ah… for a moment I was worried." The sultry voice he had heard long ago in the forest sounded again and in the darkness of the room, Cid could notice the golden orbs looking at him.

Walking forward the nine-tailed fox was smiling at him waving slightly with one of her clawed hands.

"Hello Cid. What a coincidence to see you here." Ahri smiled at him. However, different from the first time they met in the forest, he could see the smile was honest. She was actually happy of seeing him.

"Hello Ahri…" He stood up from the floor and looked at her. In one of her hands, she was carrying something. She offered it to him.

"Bread? Is not as great as meat, but they don't seem to have much meat in here…" She offered the piece of bread at him.

He reluctantly took it, only because Ahri didn't seem like the sort who would put something in food. She was much straight forward, and she didn't need tricks like that. As he took a bite of the bread he had to admit it was good. It was after a second bite he understood the bread was cheese bread.

"Is good right?" Ahri said smiling looking at him eat.

He nodded and placed the bread in a rack next to him. Ahri looked at him expectantly.

"So… what are you doing here Ahri?" Cid spoke calmly, but he was worried about himself and the man in the floor.

Ahri seemed to notice and spoke.

"Don't worry. He will be fine. I put him to sleep after he brought you to me." She smiled at him. The smile made him feel slightly worried.

"You look happy." She nodded.

"I am. I been trying to get into your head all this time. But nothing happens… it means everything you have done till now has been your own will…" She smiled widely while approaching him.

Every step forward from Ahri was a step behind for Cid who kept walking until he ended up against a wall. The hand of Ahri stopping his exit to the right side. His left side wouldn't move as fast due to the cane. Cid doubted he could push her like the last time with his cane meaning he was without many options.

Ahri smiled softly, her fangs showing as she looked at him with curiosity. She seemed to be waiting for something, he wasn't sure what, but it seemed she wanted something.

"So... what are you waiting for?" Cid asked as Ahri looked at him, her golden orbs never breaking contact with him.

"I am waiting… why aren't you calling me a monster? Surely you know more about me by now… the villagers surely told you about me." Cid nodded at her words.

"They did…" Ahri eyes looked slightly saddened, but she wouldn't break eye contact.

"Then why not call me a monster? Why say my name?" Ahri asked softly.

Cid looked at her sighing.

"Because… I don't believe you are a monster, I know a real monster that is out there in Ionia right now… but you aren't that monster. Nor do I believe you to be one." As Cid finished speaking he felt himself trapped in a hug by Ahri.

The hug wasn't soft, it was tight, clingy, even desperate. The kind of hug that resembled someone holding a rope that would bring them to safety in the middle of a storm.

"You aren't lying…" She said softly. Cid could notice she was smiling. Before he could speak he heard the door opening and Neeko scream.

"Hey! This is a storage! The mage girl told me!" As she opened the door, she saw Ahri and pointed at her. However, before she could make a fuss Ahri put her in a trance. She sighed knowing her time was short thanks to Neeko fuss.

"Is she always next to you?" Cid nodded with a smile.

"She is my partner. She is always next to me." Ahri looked at him with curiosity but a fond smile.

"Sounds like something good… then it's settled! We are partners too!" She hugged him tightly before leaving running as footsteps were heard.

"Just snap your fingers in her ear!" Ahri said as she ran away.

Cid looked at the woman waving at him. Ahri was definitely a stalker. He retrieved the cheese bread from the rack and snapped his fingers close to the ears of Neeko. The reaction was immediate.

"Hey!" She couldn't say more as Cid placed a piece of bread into her open mouth. She immediately closed her mouth and started chewing.

"Cheese bread!" She took the rest of the bread from Cid hand as they walked side by side. The situation with Ahri already forgotten.

* * *

Ahri was hiding outside of the mages reach. She was smiling still. Cid had called her by her name. He didn't call her a monster, he didn't act hostile towards her…

_...but you aren't that monster. Nor do I believe you to be one._

She smiled widely. She had found someone who could probably help her. Someone who wouldn't mind staying by her side. Moreover, it was obvious he was okay with the Vastaya if he kept the chameleon with him all the time…

Partners….

He didn't say girlfriend. Meaning he wasn't romantically involved with the chameleon. Making men fall for her was extremely easy once she got them under her control. However, Cid seemingly was immune. Which was perfect. It meant everything that happened had been him being honest.

She smiled wondering how to travel next to him…

As she saw, the mages move around to a teleportation circle, she guessed what to do.

* * *

Riven and Sona were meanwhile sitting in a bench waiting for the spell to be done. Sona was playing her instrument while Riven simply slept in the bench. Sona chuckled seeing Riven-sleeping choosing to rest. She said she would need to be in full alert at Demacia so she would take a nap while everything was getting ready.

Meanwhile she played her instrument softly. Thinking of a melody for Cid. She needed to find a way to catch his attention. In her opinion, the ability to shapeshift was cheating. Neeko could just became whatever Cid liked…

Then again, they weren't a couple. Moreover, she doubted Neeko would do something like that.

She had no idea Neeko had turned into her because Cid actually was a fan of hers.

As she played with the strings, she thought on what she knew.

He was kind. His partner and best friend was a Vastaya. An Oovi-Kat, the last one. They were a pair who traveled together and had been so for the last few months. They slept together, they held no secrets between each other and they would always spend time together…

Wasn't that by all standards a couple?

As she got to that conclusion, her instrument made a dissonant note. A perfect mirage of her own thoughts. As she sighed, she rested one of her hands in her cheek. What could she do really? He had convinced him to come to Demacia to help Fiora. Nevertheless, what could she do to get some time alone with him?

It seemed that any intent of getting him alone always ended up with Neeko coming too.

Is not like she could just take him to a walk around Demacia…

That wasn't such a bad plan. She clapped at her success and Riven stirred up.

"Sona? Whats going on?" Sona looked sheepishly at Riven indicating nothing happened.

"Sona! Riven! They got cheese bread here!" Both heard the voice of Neeko coming down walking next to Cid.

Riven smiled a bit at the simple and childish discovery while Cid walked munching on half of the bread Neeko had in her hand. As they approached the pair Cid offered them some.

"Want a bit? Is not the best for sure. But hey, food is food." Sona nodded and kindly accepted the bread, taking a bit before taking a bite. She nodded at Cid words.

Definitely not the best. But then again, this people were mages, surely, they ate little and what little they ate they did without complaint. That was the life of a scholar after all, hours and hours dedicated to research, hours of grueling tests, little to no sun light. Lack of human contact, a life absorbed for the sake of glorious research!

At least that what Sona thought. She wasn't sure. She wasn't a scholar, she was a musician. And whoever dare say she had a lot of similarities with them was lying!

Riven meanwhile just took the bread without complaint and thanked him.

"Anyone know how long till we go to Demacia?" Riven asked while eating.

Before Cid could answer, a mage spoke to them.

"The teleport spell for Demacia is ready. Remember to bring your stuff with you." The mage said going away walking slowly to the room they were told the spell would take place.

"Well, there goes your answer Riven." Neeko beamed up and latched to Cid.

"Neeko has everything she needs!" Cid sighed ruffling her hair, inadvertently making Sona pout slightly. Seeing their interaction didn't really help her plans.

Neeko and Cid had little to no things to carry on them. Riven had a simple bag with stuff Karma had given her. Sona only had clothes and her instrument. Therefore, there wasn't much to carry. As they made their way to the room, they noticed that inside the circle for the spell was also a huge box.

"What's there?" Neeko asked pointing to the box.

"Oh, those are books for our brothers in the mage guild of Demacia. Demacia doesn't allow much magic literature in their land, so we send them books, so long as they don't get out of the guild, Demacia has no trouble with it." Neeko nodded not really getting why Demacia was so strict.

Cid and Riven did know about Demacia more strict paths, one through knowledge and one through war. Sona looked saddened, she knew of Demacia ways to hate magic, and the order they had that was in charge of hunting anyone with magic. Demacia was falling into stagnation by inaction in trying to adapt to a world that kept going forward.

Demacia needed to adapt the same way music did. Going forward, learning from the past and using it for the betterment of the future. Without music, life would be a mistake.

* * *

It didn't take long for the group to be teleported to Demacia. In fact if one were to count it, the process in itself takes three seconds. Nevertheless, Cid stomach thought differently as he was fighting hard the wave of nausea.

"Ugh… when will I become used to that…" As Neeko helped him stand straight, Sona approached him and made a number with her hands.

"Seven times?" Sona nodded. She had become used to the feelings Cid was experimenting after teleporting seven times, after that she never felt anything.

"Ugh…." Sona patted him in the back as Neeko finally got him balanced, offering him his cane.

"Thanks Neeko thanks Sona…. Riven how come you don't feel anything?" Riven looked the same way and she shrugged.

"Guess I am good with that, I didn't feel anything." Sona congratulated Riven by clapping. Neeko just looked at Riven with curiosity.

"Maybe you are used at moving in weird forms?" She said without much thought. Riven shrugged while Cid walked away.

"I don't know what you are all thinking, but I rather get out of here, I am not fond of teleporting." The group got together leaving, not noticing the box behind them was moving.

Sona was excitedly signing at Cid.

"_You will love Demacia. Plus you will surely be able to help Fiora." _She smiled signing as he signed back at her.

"I am sure I will." He smiled at Sona who walked faster motioning for them to follow her.

As they followed Sona they were going through some big constructions and elegant zones, Sona signed at Cid mentioning it was Demacia residential area. Most of the big families in Demacia lived around. She mentioned to him the Buvelle mansion wasn't so big nor full of luxury as she wasn't one to stay home for she was often going around playing concerts. Cid nodded at her.

Neeko just huffed saying it wasn't fair how Cid and Sona had a secret language. This made Cid chuckle Sona to smile at herself. Sign language was by no means secret. However, with so little people who actually practice it, it could be considered a secret.

When they reached her home, Cid decided they needed to talk about what was considered big and run down.

The Buvelle mansion was with tons of gold color on the outside with lavish golden colored gates of metal with the family crest. Sona motioned for them to follow her. Four visitors entered through the main door. A fifth one they didn't know off was making her way through the shadows.

Inside the mansion Cid saw the signs of dust around, yet it was obvious the place was far from run down.

"Are you sure you don't mind us staying with you Sona?" Cid signed at her as she smiled and nodded that it wouldn't be a problem.

"_I got plenty of rooms I never use. It will be fun to have people here." _Sona signed excitedly at Cid who could only smile at her.

Neeko meanwhile was rushing with Riven through the place.

"It's so big!" Neeko expressed her simple thoughts while dragging Riven who was wondering how Cid managed to keep pace with Neeko.

Riven had to admit she did agree with Neeko observation. The mansion was big.

It was the middle of the day; Cid was in the small library of the mansion when Neeko appeared next to him. She took to sit in one of the four couches in the room.

"Cid, I got a question." She spoke simply and to the point.

Cid looked at her putting the book he found in the couch.

"What do you want to ask?" He smiled at this. Memories coming at him.

* * *

"_Hey Cid! I got a question! What is that?" The shapeshifter spoke pointing to a store of a…. nature that is more adult like. _

"_Ah that's…. a store for adults who feel lonely… sort of…" Neeko looked with curiosity._

"_Can we go in?" She asked without understanding the more mature nature of the store._

"_Ah, not really, only one can enter at a time…." Neeko nodded._

"_Maybe Neeko should enter." Cid alarmed and ushered for her to kept walking._

_He didn't know what mess could pass if Neeko were to enter a brothel._

* * *

He chuckled. Not exactly a fond memory, but definitely a funny one in retrospective.

"What's the deal with honesty?" Cid raised an eyebrow at this. That wasn't a question he expected.

"What brought that question?" Neeko hummed before relaxing in the couch opposite to his.

"Well… I remembered a mage lady in the mage guild. She said Neeko wasn't being honest because she chose to transform into one of them…" She hummed without much understanding.

However, Cid knew her. He was good at understanding Neeko wasn't one to stop without knowing the answer to the questions that came to her mind.

"Well, honesty is just that, being honest. Being truthful around others. When you lie to someone you are being dishonest, when you tell the truth you are being honest." Neeko nodded indicating she was following.

"I don't see why she felt I was doing something bad, I am always changing shapes for fun." Cid nodded. She did that indeed.

"Well, she just didn't like it Neeko, some people are against the idea of someone not being honest with them. Others don't mind it so much… I mean, both of us got an agreement to always be honest with each other remember?" Neeko perked up.

"But that is different, that's because we are Co-´om Se-Henna, we got no secrets." She smiles widely at the title they share with each other.

He nods at her.

"Indeed. But most people want that too, for others to don't have secrets with them." Neeko eye him curiously.

"But they can't know everything; we don't know them that well." Cid smiles at her. A memory coming to Neeko when he smiles.

* * *

"_Why should Neeko not say she looked bad with that hat?" Cid chuckled walking next to Neeko._

"_Well, she felt insulted." Neeko sighed._

"_But is truth! Hat doesn't look well on her." Cid chuckled patting her in the back._

"_Somethings are not good to tell others unless you know them well." Neeko poked his side._

"_Like secrets?" Cid nodded._

"_Secrets especially." Neeko smiles at getting it right._

* * *

"Well, don't take it to heart, some people are like that." Neeko moved from her couch to sit next to Cid. She then proceeds to hug him.

"Are you honest with Neeko all the time?" She says softly. He nods ruffling her hair.

"I try. Since the day I promised to be honest with you I been keeping my integrity." Neeko raised an eyebrow at the word.

"Integrity?" Cid chuckles.

"Honesty is when you are telling the truth to others, or when people are watching you that you choose to do the right thing. Integrity is when you do the right thing when no one watches, when you are alone and yet you chose to do the right thing." He smiles fondly at Neeko who smiles back at him.

"Ah! Like what Neeko does all the time when you leave her alone!" Cid chuckles, ruffling her hair, he feels how Neeko approaches towards his hand to let herself enjoy the contact.

Close to the library Sona smiles fondly at the scene, she peeked through the hall when she heard the voice of Cid and Neeko. She didn't regret it as she found herself smiling happily seeing the two interact.

She almost had a heart attack when she heard the voice of Riven behind her.

"Cute right?" Sona looked at Riven who was close to her, a teasing smirk in her face.

"Silent and prone to spy? Are you one of those Ionian ninjas?" Sona cheeks puffed in indignation, but before she could start signing, Cid spoke.

"Riven? Sona? Are you two over there? I was going to read a book to Neeko if you want to come." Cid spoke at them from the other side of the wall as Neeko screamed.

"Neeko gets bored reading! Is much better when Cid reads to her!" She said excitedly at the prospect of the book being read to her.

Sona smiles and goes to the room sitting in a couch in front of Cid, Riven chooses to take another one so she can fully rest by herself. They are focused in Cid and no one notices that close to a window a pair of ears is peeking to hear the story too.

"Well, I found this book of yours Sona, you may have already read it, but I will read it to Neeko, this book says the story about the legend of the Bearded Lady, the Kraken; the story of Nagakabouros." Cid starts reading as Neeko focuses all her attention on his words. Sona smiles fondly at him. Riven notices this and wonders if Sona will try anything.

But she wonders, does Cid even notices the look of the girl?

* * *

It doesn't take but two hours for Cid to take a pause and for Neeko to stretch out of the couch. Riven stands up doing the same, Sona meanwhile looks at Cid intensely signing at him.

"_The rest! I need to know the rest!" _Sona signs intensely at him as he signs back at her.

"You own the book Sona, you can read it if you want." Sona signs back at his words.

"_Is much better when you read it! I ask you as your host to read the rest for me!_" She signs excitedly as Cid places a bookmark on the book and stands up with help of his cane.

"I will read you the rest later then." Sona smiles excited at the prospect.

The group was invited by Sona to eat in a place she likes, rather private in addition, for what she signs at Cid. As they walk the streets of Demacia, Cid notices how people focus on Neeko. He walks slowly to stay next to her and cover her. She noticed the stares but didn't care. Cid did care, and wanted people to stop staring.

Sona sighed. She knew people in Demacia would look at Neeko with something far from kindness; Demacians were not fond of anything magical. She sighed as they walked faster. Neeko simply didn't care of their looks.

The only one she cared for was the one who looked at her with a smile.

"We are almost there Neeko." The voice of Cid spoke and she nodded.

"I know; Neeko sees less people there." She smiled at Cid and Sona signed at them that it was the place on the right.

The place looked fancy and elegant, yet it also seemed to have more the vibe of a tavern. As they approached inside, it was indeed looking like a tavern, but with carpeted floors, Cid had to give it to the owner. It took guts to put a carpet in a place where drinks would spill.

The place was indeed a tavern, one that according to Sona signs was frequented by people who liked privacy.

As the get inside, they end up in a booth Sona signs at Cid.

"_This is my spot. I always come to this booth in particular._" Cid smiled nodding, the group gets in the booth, Neeko and Cid sharing a side as Riven shares the other with Sona. Not much later, a lady wearing an apron comes toward them.

"Ah, Sona! I see you brought guests with you finally!" The lady smiles at Sona who signs embarrassed at her. Cid can see what she is saying.

_Not in front of my friends!_

"Ha-ha, you know I jest Sona. Should I bring the usual?" Sona nods and the lady looks at the rest.

"Anything I can offer you?" Cid nods. Indicating at Neeko next to him.

"If you got cheese bread and chocolate that would be great. I would like whatever Sona is getting." Sona looked puzzled at Cid words. He signed at her.

_I got no idea what they sell here, so whatever you order must be great. _Sona smiled kindly at his words.

"And you mam?" The lady looked at Riven.

"If you have meat I would be thankful." The lady nods and ushers away.

Cid looks at Riven with curiosity.

"Meat?" She nods.

"I didn't eat much in Ionia; they mainly eat fishes and vegetables." Neeko nods.

"And they don't have chocolate!" Cid chuckles as Sona smiles at Neeko. It was obvious the girl liked chocolate.

As they were waiting for their food Sona looked to the side and saw a figure entering the place, she smiled and waved at the door. Cid looked at where Sona was looking and saw an elegant woman with a blade by her hip.

"Sona?" The elegant woman spoke walking towards them. She made an elegant bow at them.

"You must be friends of Sona. I am Fiora, Fiora Laurent." The group nodded, Sona smiled patting a spot next to her in the booth.

Fiora looked saddened at Sona for a moment.

"I am afraid I will have to deny your offer again this time. I got an important duel later. I only came here to pick something up before that." Sona looked angry with Fiora and started signing fast at her. Fiora sighed ignoring Sona as she walked away leaving the girl essentially speaking alone. Or signing in this case.

Neeko whispered to Cid.

"What did she say?" Cid had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Nothing good I am afraid." Neeko noticed Cid face and understood.

"Ah. So she is like the lady who got angry at Neeko?" She whispered at him who nodded.

He may or may not have seen many signs that did not meant anything good, and judging by Sona angry face she was indeed meaning them all.

Cid sighed and signed at Sona.

"_Are you okay?" _He signed and she huffed. She signed back at him with more calm.

"_Theres always another duel, she never stops… I am worried about her." _Is then Cid remembers the whole deal about coming to Demacia in the first place.

"Want me to look out for her?" Sona nods excitedly.

"_Please! Check she doesn't do anything foolish." _Sona hoped at Cid as he stood up and left the table.

"Neeko…. Eat my food. But if you don't like it then leave it." Neeko nodded with decision and solemnity. As if, she had an important order.

"Sure you don't want me to go with you?" Cid ruffled her hair.

"No, I will be fine. I will just be following her." Cid pointed with his hand the direction of Fiora. Neeko nodded smiling.

"If in trouble, scream for Neeko, and Neeko will be there." She smiled at Cid as he nodded.

Sona and Riven saw the exchange with a small smile. Riven couldn't avoid it, they were just nice and refreshing in their exchanges.

* * *

Following Fiora wasn't hard. She actually knew she was followed. As such, she walked slowly as to both imply she didn't need to run, and a challenge. She didn't know that Cid really wouldn't be able to fight her. He chose to make use of the fact that Fiora knew he was there to try to make conversation.

"So… a duel?" He asked with honest curiosity, Fiora answered without stopping her walk.

"Indeed. A man believes he can become the head of my house by marrying me. I refuse to marry anyone who can't defeat me. And if he believes I will submit to a pompous nobleman with no manners. He is up for a sword in his neck." Fiora spoke with a confidence that made Cid ask something.

"How many duels like this have you been part of?" Fiora seemed to hum in thought.

"Good question, sadly I do not have a proper answer. I believe somewhere after sixty I stopped counting my victories." Cid whistled in admiration.

"My own record is so far zero victories against Neeko." Fiora raised an eyebrow at this information, of course, Cid couldn't see her face, but he could notice the curiosity in her posture.

"Zero victories you say. And you speak so calmly about it, have you no pride?" Cid chuckled.

"I got no use for that. There is no shame in admitting Neeko can beat me with her tail only. Plus I am not competing with her." Fiora let out a scoff as if he said a bad joke.

"Life is a competition, and if you can't keep it up, you will end up falling behind." Cid shrugged as he kept walking behind Fiora.

"Can't say I agree. I find little use in competing for simple manners." Fiora sighed.

"Do you have no sense of honor? Of being, the best and making others fall. That they recognize you are the better one?" Cid chuckled.

"Why would I care about the others? I only care of my own opinion…. And maybe Neeko. I don't care what others say or think of me. I have nothing to prove." Fiora stopped walking and Cid clashed against her back.

He then noticed as he clashed; Fiora was solid, her slender physique hid an impressive amount of muscle. She truly was a fighter.

"That's the thing you and Sona don't get. There is always something to prove." Fiora kept walking, but Cid noticed the dejected tone in her voice. There was a story hiding there.

It didn't take long after that to find the place where the duel would take place. A park, many people, mainly nobles Cid noticed, were waiting for the duel to start. In one side was a man who looked in the opinion of Cid as rather arrogant. His face seemed to show his uncaring of the situation. Next to him was a man dressed as a sort of butler holding a sword inside an elegant sheathe.

Cid saw Fiora was standing alone in the other side, her sword sheathed and her eyes looking at the man who was in the middle of both her and the noble, he looked old. Judging by his look, Cid could guess this man was going to be a sort of referee for the duel.

"We are here today for a duel regarding the hand of Fiora Laurent and her title as head of house. Is that right Fiora Laurent?" Fiora nodded her face serious. The man looked at the nobleman.

"George Bottdwell. You are fighting agreeing that should you lose. Fiora Laurent will never marry you, nor will she even have to consider you as suitor. Is this." The noble man didn't let the judge end.

"Yes, yes, whatever. Can we get done with this? I plan to move to the Laurent mansion once this is over. And Fiora, you better let your hair longer, such unfitting hairstyle is not good for a wife." The man tried to taunt Fiora, but if she was angry, she didn't show it.

The judge though was a different case.

"You better avoid interrupting me young Bottdwell. Otherwise I will make this duel void, and you will automatically lose as the challenger." The nobleman stiffened.

"As I was saying, do you accept the terms?" The nobleman sneered but nodded and answered with a simple "yes."

"Then the terms are set. Remember. This is not a duel to the death; you will fight until one is unable to fight or surrenders. No other weapons aside of blades are allowed. Outside interference will make the duel null and void. So please, everyone move ten steps away." The crowd didn't lose time moving. Cid found himself comfortably sitting in a bench of the park. He had a good spot.

A noble woman looked at Cid and asked if she could sit next to him. Cid knew she asked simply for being kind as he wasn't a noble by any means.

"By all means, you may sit, is good to have company for this kind of events." The lady smiled at him and sat. No other word was exchanged between them as the duel was about to start. The judge moved away and signaled for the duel to start.

The nobleman had his sword out and got in posture. Cid noticed it looked more like something of status and not a proper weapon. Fiora blade was a different case. It was beautiful, but it also had signs of use. The marks of clashes, the tight marks of where Fiora held it with one hand, and the dull coloration of the guard.

The blade wasn't new. It had seen many fights, and would probably keep seeing many more.

Cid noticed the man stance was full of holes and looked stiff. Fiora meanwhile was extremely relaxed with the blade in front of her. Cid couldn't avoid thinking that Fiora looked her most comfortable with a blade in her hand.

"What are you waiting for woman?" The noble asked as Fiora laughed.

"I thought that the lady should have the first movement, so I was waiting for you to move." Fiora taunted the man, the crowd let out small laughs at the man expense. Even Cid had to concede that had been a good taunt.

The angry noble rushed with his sword, Fiora did a parry against the sword with minimum effort, it was something incredibly graceful, and a move that allowed Fiora for a quick riposte. Instead of going with her sword, she brought out her left hand, and a punch swiftly met its mark against the nose of the noble man.

Fiora laughed as the man clutched his injured nose in pain.

"Bad move. I believe, you had better keep your things in your own home. House Laurent will not be yours." The man seethed in anger before rushing again. The result this time was that Fiora faked to block, only to guide the man movement away, forcing him to fall as she put her feet against his. The man fell to the floor and his clothes got dirty. Fiora smiled softly as she kept her sword in front of her at all times. Ready for anything. Cid was mesmerized, seeing Fiora fight was a show of elegance and technique. The only reason she could mock her opponent was that she truly was ready for anything.

And anything indeed. The man tried to throw dirt at Fiora eyes; she simply sidestepped and kicked the man sending him to the floor before he could even stand.

"Surrender. This is a mockery to a duel." Fiora said with confidence.

Cid found himself admiring Fiora. However, he also noticed that the butler of the nobleman was seemingly getting something out of his coat and aiming it at Fiora. Cid didn't waste time and got something out of his own coat. A flash grenade.

"Fiora! Close your eyes!" Cid threw the grenade. Not long after a flash of light blinded everyone except for the judge who had heard the warning of Cid and Fiora. The rest of the crowd let out cries of surprise and some of pain as they saw the explosion directly. Cid didn't lose time in moving and taking hold of the hand of the butler. As people eyes got better, Fiora was the first to see Cid holding the man arm.

"Hey. I believe you shouldn't take out that from your coat." The man got nervous but before he could speak the judge was next to them. A dagger aimed at each of their throats. Seems the old man wasn't a there for nothing.

"Both of you. Bring out whatever you two have in your clothes." Cid nodded, taking out another flash grenade. The judge nodding and then motioning for the man to take out what was in the coat. For many, what came out the coat was a simple toy, looking like a kaleidoscope. However, the judge had another opinion.

"A poisonous dart. Such a shameful tool for a duel. I haven't heard of such a fool intent as the old head of house Laurent and the paralysis agent." The mention of the man who Cid could only guess was Fiora father made him be surprised, he noticed Fiora herself didn't look too thrilled about it.

The judge took the trinket and fired it at the nobleman in the floor. He shouted in indignation and suddenly seemed to stay still as a stone.

"Ah, paralysis poison? Such a shameful act. Fiora Laurent is the winner of the duel. Nothing more to see here." The man motioned for the butler to take his master and go away.

He looked at Cid before going off himself.

"Your intervention will not affect the duel of Fiora Laurent as you interrupted an attack against her person. But next time you may want to use something less showy." Cid nodded and apologized as the man went away.

Fiora meanwhile looked towards the floor, her sword back into a sheath. Cid approached her slowly. Noticing the grim aura around her. A foul mood surrounding her.

"Fiora?" He spoke slowly as she looked at him; she looked angry and pointed at him.

"I didn't ask for your help in the duel. You shouldn't have intervened." Cid looked apprehensive at her words.

"I only wanted to help." He said feeling slightly bad, he didn't have bad intentions, then again, the road to the realm of the death was full of good intentions.

Fiora looked at him with anger before turning her back.

"I am not…. I am not angry at you, I apologize…" She slowly walked away and Cid followed close behind.

"Fiora?" The woman sighed as they walked.

"You heard him didn't you? Mentioning the shame of my father." Cid nodded, Fiora couldn't see him but he offered a short "yes" at her question.

"My father was rumored to be the best duelist, but it was all a lie… he probably was the best in his younger days, but age made him paranoid, made him wish to never lose… losing would have been less shameful than cheating." Fiora sighed.

She looked at him. Her eyes a mix of confusion.

"Why did you help me? I am not sure you know, but the majority of the people there came to watch me lose. Why did you got into the middle to help?" Fiora was confused at his actions. Cid just smiled.

"Because it was the right thing to do." Fiora eyes opened in surprise. Such a simple answer, yet in its own way highly meaningful.

"Maybe I misjudged you." She smiled offering her hand at him.

"Fiora Laurent, top duelist and head of house Laurent." Cid smiled shaking her hand. Her grip extremely solid.

"Cid, no last name, wandering therapist and full time expert on vagabonding around the world." Fiora chuckled at his words.

"Well then, I believe Sona is home by now, allow me to escort you then." Cid smiled thanking her.

He didn't notice it at first. However, this was the first time he and Fiora walked side by side, instead of him being behind her.

* * *

Turns out, Sona wasn't home yet. Therefore, Fiora took him to her own house. Turns out the house Laurent was similar to the Buvelle. Just instead of golden tones of color, it had more of a silver and gray look, sort of resembling a blade. The house had the symbol of the Laurent family. There was just a big difference between Sona home and Fiora. The inside.

The inside of the home of Fiora was looking dark and abandoned. One could see the trails of Fiora footsteps. It went into three directions. Kitchen, a study, and the upper part where he guessed her room was. It was obvious Fiora didn't have servants cleaning around, nor cared for them.

"Sorry for the dirt, I don't spend time gallivanting here." Fiora took him to the study, it was similar to Sona, full of books but he noticed a lack of painting. However, laying in the floor were sketches.

She motioned for the couch.

"Let yourself comfortable. I will be back soon." As Cid did as told he took the liberty to explore the books of Fiora. He found one that hit his curiosity.

"Mount Targon. A history on the mysterious mountain where the Aspects exist…. Sounds good." Cid didn't lose time and started reading it out loud. In the past, he would have read in silence, but his time with Neeko had made it a habit for him to read aloud.

When Fiora came back with a jar of water and a pair of cups, she found herself letting them in a small table and sitting in another couch, moving some of her sketches aside and listening the self-called wandering therapist read aloud.

"The Aspects on Mount Targon are said to be the manifestations of ancestral powers…." As he read Fiora, found herself enthralled in the book.

She honestly thought it was boring. It was an academic study; regarding the Aspects they know about. Specifically, the mythical Pantheon. The aspect of War of whom there were many theories. Where did his inhuman strength come from?

The book was more about the little they knew. Moreover, explored many theories regarding beings of mighty power in Mount Targon. Yet the book had never been as interesting as while being read by the therapist. Fiora didn't feel the flow of time going until she heard knocking coming from her door and noticed the sun had gone away. Cid too got of his own musings as he read. Fiora opened the door to meet Sona who looked less than happy with her arms crossed. Next to her was a girl with animal characteristics that Fiora knew meant she was a Vastaya.

"Sona. How can I help?" Sona look said everything. She started signing slowly, Fiora getting the idea.

"He is here, he was reading." Without warning the girl next to Sona rushed inside and seemingly went for Cid. Fiora focused on Sona again.

"Sorry, we went to your home but you weren't there… are you mad at me?" Sona sighed and her face showed worry as she signed.

"_Did you got hurt?" _Sona would always worry about her. She couldn't blame her. They were friends.

_Cause it's the right thing to do._

"I am not hurt… as a matter of fact, your friend, Cid, helped me out during the duel." Fiora retold the events of the duel to Sona. She wasn't happy hearing what happened. However, she also was relieved Fiora was well.

"_Then I am happy." _She smiled at Fiora who softly smiled back.

Footsteps were approaching and Sona saw Cid in the company of Neeko with his cane in hand.

"I found him! He was reading!" Neeko smiled hugging the arm of her friend who ruffled her hair.

"Sorry, Sona. We went to your home but you weren't there." Sona smiled at Cid and ushered for him to come. As they were outside of the home of Fiora, the head of house Laurent spoke.

"I got some questions I would like to make you sometime. Will you be on the city for a while?" Cid nodded. Fiora smiled.

"Good. I will see you in two days then." With that she went away closing the doors of her home. Neeko curious.

"She didn't say goodbye." Sona smiled at hearing the girl speak. She motioned for Cid to translate her signs to Neeko.

"Neeko, Sona says Fiora doesn't bid goodbye because she will see us again. She says that Fiora never says goodbye to anyone except to those who lost a duel against her." Neeko nodded and giggled.

"Sword lady is cute. Think she'd be interested in Neeko?" She looked at Cid with a smirk as he laughed and ruffled her hair.

"Probably? You will have to ask her yourself, but I will be next to you when you do. You know, to make you look better." Neeko laughed.

"Neeko knows she counts with you!" Sona only saw the exchange with a fun smile in her face. She couldn't say it wasn't fun and interesting to see the odd pair.

She had her own words she wanted to exchange with Cid, which she guessed was the main reason Fiora didn't say she would see them tomorrow. She knew the duelist like her instrument. Up to the minimal detail.

* * *

As the night was over her home, Neeko and Riven were soundly asleep... Riven probably was, Cid had the feeling Neeko was awake and doing her own thing. Cid meanwhile was reading, fulfilling an unwritten contract with Sona who was sitting in front of him with her eyes wide open, sleep not coming to catch her as Cid read the novel she had requested for him to read.

"I don't want her; the one I want is you!" He read the lines with emotion and honestly, he was also too deep in the reading, he really wanted to know whether the protagonist ended up with the main love interest or not. However, honestly he was afraid.

There were still too many things to solve in the book. However, there were barely ten pages left!

Cid was panicking inside. For that matter, Sona was too. She had bought the book in a whim liking the cover of a young woman of a high standing and a vagabond witch. Fighting the social norms. She simply had to buy it.

Sadly. Both of them would be disappointed.

"I choose… Oh dang it!" Cid screamed and Sona stood up in disbelief, signing quite fast.

"_Surely it didn't they wouldn't dare!" _Cid sighed and nodded.

"They did. It will continue on the next book, the author thanks you for your patronage." Both Cid and Sona fell back in their positions on the couches and looked to the floor.

He felt a pressure next to her as Sona sat in the couch next to him. He looked at her as she started signing.

"_Did you like it?" _She smiled softly at him. He nodded at her.

"I would have preferred if they finished the book in one go instead of leaving us hanging. However, I do like the story. But I want to know whether or not Hariku and Kerine end up together." Sona nodded too.

"_Still, it was fun. Thank you for reading it to me." _She smiled softly signing at him. Cid nodded, he was slightly blushing seeing Sona so close to him.

The dream of any fan was to share a moment with their idols. Cid admired the music of Sona, the Maven of the Strings. Her talent and the ability she had to make everyone amazed with her music. Now he also had the chance of meeting Sona Buvelle. The simple woman, who liked romance books, conversations and could be rather spirited when she was angry, the girl who had thrown some mean words at Fiora for being too stubborn.

The same girl was sitting next to him in a couch smiling at him.

"No problem, I had fun reading the book…" He spoke with a tad of nervousness. While not against females being close to him, the only girl who had ever been so close was Neeko, and she was an exception to the norm.

"_You are always kind… are you able to say no I wonder?" _She teased him with the way he always said yes to Neeko, even when he said no, he would end up doing it.

It was mostly due to the nature of their relationship. Co-´om Se-Henna.

"I can say no whenever I want to… I just choose not to do so." He didn't sound convincing at all. He doubted he even sounded convincing to himself with that phrase. The result was obvious as Sona was covering her mouth with her hands, but her eyes showed she was laughing at his answer.

"Harr, harr, harr. Pretty funny I know." He said with a smile on his own. Sona hands went away from her mouth but she was smiling, obviously having fun.

Sona simply smiled, closing the little distance between them in the couch, essentially making it as they were now sitting next to the other. Cid face turned slightly red on the cheeks seeing her so close. Sona kept her composure and her face devoid of any signs of blushing the whole time.

In truth, she would be blushing of being so close to a man, especially one who had her attention, but years in the scene of music helped her keeping her composure, and her inability of making any sound helped her.

Cid meanwhile was blushing heavily. He decided to make a bit of distance from Sona who immediately closed the distance. The scene resulted in a comical intent of Cid to make distance, until he met with the end of the couch and Sona tightly putting an end to his escape on the other side.

"Sona?" Cid spoke for the first time since she closed the distance.

She kindly smiled signing at him a simple _"yes?"_

"What are you doing?" Sona smiled and didn't sign anything. Just smiled and kept looking at him softly. There was a message underlying her eyes, one Cid got clearly.

_Guess_.

A simple word, a challenge, a dare of sorts.

"You want something?" Sona nodded.

Cid was in thought, his face less red, but still keeping a small blush in it.

"Food?" She smiled but crossed her arms indicating that wasn't the right answer.

"Water? That I read another book? Ask me something?" Sona crossed arms were all the answer he needed to know it wasn't that.

"For me to listen?" Sona was about to cross her arms when she smiled and nodded excitedly. Seems she didn't thought he would guess it that quickly.

She motioned for him to get close to her. He wasn't sure what was going to happen as he approached. After all, he knew Sona was mute. She couldn't speak. So what would she need him to get close?

As he approached her as if she were to whisper something to him, it happened. He felt a pair of soft lips kissing his cheek quickly before going away. A peck on his cheek. He moved back in surprise at the action she took.

He let one of his hands go towards his cheek; to the spot he felt the soft peck of Sona lips. She was looking red in the face. Her previous composure flickered and went off on a vacation as she smiles softly and her cheeks reddened.

A blush was on her face as she stood up from the couch signing at him.

"_Good night." _She went off quickly to her own room. Leaving behind a wide eyed Cid who was trying to understand what happened.

He did what he recently started doing when confused. Speak to someone about it. Therefore, he went with his face red to his room. He got into the bed. Moreover, spoke to Neeko who had been waiting for him in it. She looked at his reddened cheeks and smiled, looking at him on the bed.

"Co-´om Se-Henna?" She asked fondly, she saw his expression and she knew everything. So softly and with fondness she asked him what was wrong in her own way.

"Sona kissed my cheek." Neeko hummed in understanding before standing up from the bed and locking the door of the room. She then proceeded to go back to the bed, letting no distance between her and Cid.

"Did you like it?" She asked with care, softly taking his hand on hers as both were in the bed looking at the roof of the room.

"Sort of… is confusing." He sighed as Neeko took his hand and gripped softly, indicating for him to go on.

"I… well you know I am a fan." Neeko snorted at the sentence.

"Fan falls short. Neeko knows you like her music." She spoke with a teasing tone making him sigh.

"Yeah. That's the thing… I like her music. I don't know how I feel about her." Neeko hummed.

"Sona kissed your cheek. How did it feel?" Cid sighed.

"Warm… I believe it was just innocent though. I am overthinking it probably." He chuckled, and expected Neeko to laugh too, but instead he heard her humming in thought.

"A kiss in the cheek isn't always so innocent." Cid found himself surprised.

Neeko may be childish at times, but she also was incredibly wise, and outside of what some thought, she could be incredibly smart too. Moreover, when she chose to speak seriously it always was serious.

"Neeko, are you sure? I mean, this is Sona Buvelle. The Maven of the Strings?" Neeko giggled, as they kept looking the roof.

"Cid, Sona is a girl. She is not a mystery or a riddle. She is a girl. When a girl likes a boy. They kiss them in the cheek." Cid sighed. Thinking those words.

"You kiss my cheek all the time." Neeko giggled.

"Because we are Co-´om Se-Henna. We smile forever, remember?" She said with a smile looking at him instead of the roof. He returned her look with a soft smile.

"Yeah." Both sighed returning their eyes towards the roof.

Silence enveloped the room; it was just them inside with the rhythm of their breathing and hearts beating in the silence of the room. Both didn't say anything, they didn't need words at times. Moreover, right now, it was one of those times. They never broke the contact between their hands either. It was just a moment of both of them enjoying the silent company the other brought.

Knowing there was someone right next to them, someone who was willing to listen and not judge. Simply listen. Was marvelous.

Silence was by no means awkward. It was purely their moment.

Neeko was the first to break their silent moment.

"What will you do? How will you answer her feelings?" Cid sighed.

"I don't know… I don't know Sona that much as to be able to do anything." Neeko giggled.

"Well, Sona did the first move. I doubt that kiss was innocent Cid. She has started…. The courting." Neeko said the last part as if it was a mystical problem, and not a simple situation.

"Is not something so weird… people share feelings and try to pursue relationships all the time…. They go on dates to see if they are…" Cid hummed. A memory of a similar conversation coming at him.

* * *

"_No one is perfect Neeko." Neeko huffed._

"_Except you?" Cid chuckled._

"_No one is perfect. Nor me, nor you, nor anyone. The question when speaking of couples is, whether or not they are perfect for each other…."_

* * *

"If they are perfect for each other." Neeko finished for him with a soft smile.

"You told Neeko about it before, so… will you try to see if you are perfect for Sona, and if she is perfect for you?" She said holding his hand tightly.

Cid sighed.

"I don't know… I don't know her that well…. But I am willing to try to know her." Neeko giggled at his words.

She released his hand only to hug him.

"Neeko will stay with you. No matter what! Co-´om Se-Henna for life!" Cid chuckled returning the hug.

"Co-´om Se-Henna…." He said with a soft smile as he hugged her.

The hug kept going longer than he expected.

"Neeko? Release me?" Neeko giggled as she kept the hug.

"Tonight we sleep together." She said with decision.

"We always tend to sleep in the same room." He said destroying the argument as if it was so weird.

However, he didn't try to pry her off. Not when the lights went off. Not when they were both in bed. Not even when sleep overcame both, but the arms of Neeko refused to let go. Once again, like many nights before, Cid started sleeping in the company of his partner. Tomorrow would be another day, another chance of keep on learning, and keep growing.

_What is loss?_

_Loss is to lose something. Moreover, the only way to lose something is because you love it more than you love yourself. And then it's gone. _

_Have you ever lost something?_

_I did. _

_What was it?_

* * *

Cid woke up feeling warm, like he was enveloped in a fluffy pillow. Which didn't make sense. He didn't even got sheets over him as Neeko was hugging him. Which he still felt her arms around him.

It was then he felt a soft hand on his face. Which didn't make sense. After all, Neeko arms were holding him, and last time he checked she didn't have four arms. As his eyes tried to make head or tails of what was going on, he felt his glasses being put back in the place they belonged. Then he saw her.

Ahri was sleeping with him and Neeko. Enveloping the pair with her tails. She was smiling at him. Her other hand softly touching his cheek.

"You should be more careful, if you had slept with your glasses on they would have broken off." She said speaking softly. Cid taking notice of the tails around him and Neeko.

"Ahri? Why… why are your tails around us?" She giggled, obviously having fun.

"You two were looking as if you had cold. So I decided to warm both of you." She said with a tone as if she said the sky was blue.

"Ah… thanks…" Cid said without much more to say. Ahri kept looking at him with her golden orbs shining brightly.

"You are welcome….." Cid kept looking at her, and Ahri looked at him expectantly.

They remained like that until Cid noticed movement from the ears of Ahri.

"Isn't this the part where you give me a good morning kiss?" She said with slight disappointment in her voice.

Her straightforward answer made Cid look surprised. Moreover, in a way he did feel slightly saddened for her. Therefore, he decided to move slightly and kiss her cheek. The kiss took her by surprise and put her to smile.

"Ah! Thank you!" She tried to pounce over him, but found herself stopped when she felt pain in her tail and Neeko gasped.

"Ah! Hair! Since when you got so long…." Neeko took notice of Ahri and immediately screamed.

"You!" Neeko wasn't fond of Ahri, mostly because she suspected her intentions with Cid.

The scream didn't go unnoticed by a rather angry looking Riven with her broken sword in hand.

"It's too early for this…" She saw the scene in front of her and sighed. Getting ready.

"Too early…"

Pain was about to be served for breakfast.

Sona sighed. Her instrument in her hands floating around her as she saw Ahri in her knees looking at her and towards Cid, forcing her to move to block her view from him. Neeko was standing next to Riven who was behind Cid.

Sona made signs that Ahri couldn't get so Cid had to move to see her hands and translate for Ahri.

"She says why you are here. And how did you got in." Cid spoke the words of Sona and Ahri smiled.

"Simple, I traveled with a bunch of books. I just followed you all the time. Then I just slipped inside by opening a window." She expressed simply. Sona sighed and signed again.

"Sona says you should leave as you aren't a guest in her home." Cid spoke and Sona looked at him mentioning he didn't say what she said.

However, Cid didn't feel like throwing curses at such a time in the morning.

Speaking of which, he found adorable how Sona long hair looked out of her usual pigtails. She seemed to notice his stare making him blush and look away. Sona while not showing it outside since she was focused with Ahri was incredibly happy of him looking at her.

Ahri seemed to notice this exchange and internally seethed, but showing anger wouldn't let her get close to him. Therefore, she would need to play her game. Ahri sighed.

"I am sorry." She wasn't. However, Sona didn't know that.

"She lies!" Neeko didn't really notice. Nevertheless, she didn't believe a word of Ahri.

Ahri laughed at the dramatic tone of Neeko. However, it was Cid who spoke next and put her to stop laughing.

"She isn't sorry, not really." Ahri focused her eyes on him.

"I am, really…" She knew a lot on people, knew what they saw, what they thought.

"If you were really sorry it would show. You are just saying what we want to hear." Ahri was surprised at how easily he was seeing through her. It only made her want to know him even more.

Sona looked in thought before signing.

"Sona says you can stay. But only if Riven is next to you." Ahri nodded, her tails swishing from side to side, happy at seeing things going her way.

"And don't try to make anyone here fall under your charm. Please Ahri." Ahri would have normally not cared for someone asking such a thing. However, the fact Cid asked her saying "please" and her name, she couldn't really say no to someone being nice towards her. It was different from the usual treatment given to a monster.

"I promise." She found herself saying with honesty in her voice. Honesty that Cid noticed.

"She lies I tell you!" However, Neeko kept being herself.

Cid only sighed thinking it would be a long day but he also felt a small sense of satisfaction. Things would surely get better. After all, if he can't put his trust in someone, then he is really not fulfilling his word.

He walked next to Neeko, ruffling her hair and she relaxed.

"I don't trust her." She said immediately and he chuckled.

"Well… I do. And you trust me right?" Neeko sighed, crossing her arms in mock anger from what he could tell.

"That's cheating. You know I always trust you." He smiled. Ahri and Sona looking at the pair, one with cold anger hidden inside, the other with a small sense of worry inside, wondering if she could really have what they shared.

It was hard to know. What were they?

Cid chose to spend the morning in the seclusion of the room he had been given by Sona. He saw the roof, and he looked at Neeko who was playing with her own tail. The pair was thinking on what to do for the day. Neeko was curious of seeing Fiora. Cid was thinking mostly on what to do. He didn't feel ready to face Sona.

Both looked at each other and then to the window. The same thought in mind.

"Want to get out?" "Window?" Both friends spoke at the same time, a smirk in their faces.

Both nodded. Surely Sona wouldn't mind them getting out through a window, it wouldn't be the first time they did it.

* * *

Cid was currently considering how friendship worked.

Was it like an unvoiced promise? A pact made between people who agreed on being next to the other in the good and bad. On the other hand, was it more like a formal contract that signed itself with blood and sealed with bonds of camaraderie? Moreover, if it was like a formal contract. Was friendship born in a whim and lasted for eternity?

He wanted to know in which part did it said he had to hold his friend when he was vomiting breakfast and probably lunch. On the other hand, when did he started to call him a friend?

"This is horrible! Why do you subject yourself to this kind of entertainment?!" The words of the explorer were high as Cid sighed patting him in the back.

"You should have said no." Cid was wondering how he reached this situation but it was fruitless. Things just kept rolling until he reached this point.

"You are… a good friend Cid." The words muffled by the contents of Ezreal stomach coming out.

"And you are bad with alcohol. Why did you even considered you would beat that guy?" He was sighing as he kept the explorer steady and managed to keep him clean.

When the explorer seemingly was back to normal Cid got him a jug of water that was resting in the floor of the bathroom, when he first saw Ezreal face he knew he would need water.

"Drink. I swear this whole thing of true ice wasn't worth it." As he found himself remembering, the chain of events that got them into the bar in the first place and into a drinking competition with a man who was obviously not going to lose.

"Gragas cheated… he has to…" Cid sighed at the words of Ezreal after he drank the water and washed his mouth with another part of it.

"I doubt that man has the need to cheat…" Cid saw the giant known as Gragas drinking. It was obvious he wasn't going to lose. The moment he entered, Gragas promised he would give away a piece of true ice to whoever bested him in a drinking competition. Needless to say, Cid most recent … friend, thought he could win that treasure.

Ezreal and Cid had just met. Neeko had entered the bar when they were walking around Demacia, inside the prodigious explorer immediately took a liking to Neeko for her nature as a rarity, but Cid cane made sure to remind him that Neeko was Neeko. Not a rarity. Still, the explorer simply took it in stride and actually invited both Cid and Neeko for a drink. Mostly cause he was an intellectual visiting Demacia, and so far had to find anyone interesting.

Therefore, the apparition of a man who traveled all over and a Vastaya was more than welcome. Soon the group got into chatting, Ezreal immediately enjoying to chat with someone who knew of the world, though he was surprised to find Cid was no scholar and Neeko was the only one of her kind alive.

Their chat kept going on and then Gragas appeared. The rest. Was in the bathroom. It didn't took long for Cid to help Ezreal compose himself and get him to the table where Neeko awaited in the company of Gragas.

"Cid! Gragas can change colors! Like Neeko!" At her words, Gragas laughed, his face showing the signs of drinking but he was able to keep his hulking physique standing and his laughter was actually contagious as Neeko found herself laughing.

"Well, I am glad you are having fun. And I apologize Gragas, I know we just met and here I have you taking care of my partner." The man waved him off without worry.

"Its fine!" He slurred the e at the end but had no signs of being affected by his drink. "The girl is fun company! She knows how to appreciate the good ale!" At this Cid raised an eyebrow and noticed Neeko had a mug of ale in her hands. Yet she seemed unaffected by it.

"Is that Ezreal mug?" Neeko nodded, taking another sip. Ezreal who was holding himself with the help of Cid was surprised; just a sip of Gragas personal mix in his barrel was enough to make him more than drunk. And here was Neeko, drinking it sip by sip and with a happy smile in her face.

"It is cold! But not too cold or too warm, how do you do it?" Neeko asked Gragas with curiosity, the man laughing as he opened the casket next to him and showing Neeko the inside. She saw a pretty piece of ice. Yet she could tell it was not normal by any means.

"This is true ice. It never melts, and keeps my ale perfect!" Gragas patted Neeko in the back, the girl being able to take the physicality of Gragas and returned the gesture back, surprising the giant of a man.

"Hah! You are truly worthy of having a mug of my ale, here, have another!" Gragas poured more into the mug in the hands of Neeko. Cid and Ezreal were surprised at the girl drinking calmly. So much was the surprise of Ezreal he fainted, Cid sighing as he picked up the explorer. Truly, Neeko was always full of surprises.

It wasn't long before Gragas said he had enough of the weak ale of Demacia, which made some of the other patrons stand up in distaste at Gragas comments. Cid didn't need to be told twice to leave as he thanked Gragas for caring for Neeko, meanwhile the chameleon told Gragas to visit them another time. Before Ezreal could try to persuade Gragas on sharing the piece of true ice, a chair hit Gragas behind the head, to the surprise of the patrons, the hulking man laughed as he turned around.

And head-butted the man towards the floor.

"Whose next!? Come forward weaklings! You are as weak as your ale!" The patrons rushed towards Gragas, Ezreal immediately using the power of his gauntlet to blink outside of the walls of the bar, and ending next to Cid and Neeko.

"We were waiting for you to come through the door… so that's the blink you mentioned before?" Ezreal nodded, but before he could answer, a man passed through the wall. Not with a blink spell like Ezreal, but rather, through pure brute force that send him towards the outside of the establishment.

"I believe we should go." Cid spoke calmly as Neeko giggled, linking her arm with his, Ezreal, flabbergasted at the destruction going on pointed at it.

"Shouldn't we try to help?" Neeko giggled, Cid never stopping his slow stroll as she spoke.

"You can try. But I doubt we could stop Gragas. Neeko is not risking Cid when she knows Gragas will be safe." Ezreal wasn't worried about Gragas. However, before he could speak he saw a second man going through the same wall as the previous one.

"Theres your brother! Hahaha!" Gragas laughter, as merry as it sounded, sent chills through Ezreal spine as he rushed for the other two. "Wait for me!"

* * *

As the trio walked, Neeko spoke to both of them.

"I don't get it. Why do people drink ale…" Ezreal answered her question.

"Well, some find it fun, relaxing even." Neeko moved her head, indicating that wasn't what she meant.

"Neeko get that, Neeko drinks chocolate, lots of chocolate when she can. But she never cries while she does it." Cid understood then what she meant.

"You are speaking about the man in the corner right?" Neeko nodded. Ezreal didn't remember someone crying in there. Nevertheless, Cid did notice it, Neeko did too, she felt the sadness radiating from the one in the corner.

"Some people… drown their sorrows in alcohol or other vices. Drinking isn't bad Neeko. Is in the excess, where things go badly... some try to lull the pain in their person with it… some lose themselves in it to forget memories of harder times… reasons are many. But in the end… some people just fall in it." Ezreal looked uncomfortably to the side.

He had his own views on those who kept drinking without control. Having seen many academics fall on different vices, but he never… he never really cared. And seeing Neeko ask, and Cid answering her was… uncomfortable.

"No matter how much they drink from the bottle. The answer wont be in the bottom… but you can be sure another bottle will be ready in their hands. Until they understand that, a drink is not a good friend when you need consult. When you need help…" Ezreal asked him something as he finished speaking.

"Who should they ask for help then?" Cid chuckled as he walked and looked at the sky.

"A friend. They need to start speaking with others… is not easy mind you, but it is possible. I have seen groups of people who speak between themselves of what they have gone through… is possible to live life, even when in pain." Neeko smiled as she spoke, looking at Ezreal.

"When Neeko feels down, she speaks to Cid. When Cid is sad, he speaks to Neeko… a friend is always good to have. However, is even better to know, that when we are alone, we aren't truly alone. We are as alone as we let ourselves to believe we are. Sho´ma connects us all, and it is the proof that we are never alone…" Neeko sight went towards Cid, smiling at him.

Ezreal didn't get what Sho´ma meant. Nevertheless, he could understand Neeko. Sort of. A bit… maybe not as much as he wished he did. But he had the idea in his mind…

"Friends, eh?" He looked at his gauntlet. Thinking how he tended to send people away as he was always travelling and exploring without groups, considering he didn't need anyone else close.

_You will just slow me down! _

_No thanks! I can do this alone!_

_Why even bother?_

He could be… rude. He didn't meant it. He simply… maybe he really needed to consider that he didn't need to be alone as much as he did… maybe he could visit a friend.

"Cid, Neeko, how would you like to meet someone famous of Demacia?" Ezreal asked with a smile as Neeko was about to blurt they knew Sona Buvelle.

* * *

A woman with red hair and fair skin was walking, her body covered in an armor of black, made from iron protecting her body, her shoulder carrying what looked like a glove in the form of a dragon maw. Many would consider her a beauty. But whoever knew the truth, would know that was a look that was not her real self…

Shyvana was walking around the gardens of Demacia, a zone closer to the walls that kept the border of the city of Demacia, the walls that kept the magic at bay and stopped sorcerers, a legacy from the rune wars that threatened the world so long ago… now a reminder that magic and anything non-human was not welcome in Demacia.

That included herself.

She like patrolling the borders of the city. Therefore, when Luxanna Crownguard said she would be going around, Shyvana offered to go with her. Luxanna was more than happy. Shyvana felt a bit guilty of using her as a way to get out of the walls of the castle. Yet if the girl knew, she didn't minded, she told her to take it easy as she would just be walking around, needing a rest from the castle too.

As Shyvana strolled, she heard footsteps and was surprised to see someone walking with a cane approaching her. "Mind if I walk with you? My friends decided to ditch me in favor of someone with two working legs." He chuckled pointing with his cane to the direction where Luxanna was.

She recognized Ezreal, a friend of Luxanna, but she didn't recognize the… colorful girl with a tail.

"That's Neeko. She is my friend and partner." He spoke calmly as he kept walking until he stood next to her, offering his free hand at her. "Cid. No last name." He smiled, something that surprised her, she guessed he wasn't from Demacia if he was so…welcoming. She took his softer hand into her more roughed one.

"Shyvana… no last name either." She returned his smile as they walked together. She decided she could relax if Ezreal was with Luxanna.

They kept walking silently until he spoke again.

"So… what's your relationship with Lux?" Shyvana raised an eyebrow at the causality of the question.

"… We both work as guardians for the prince. Jarvan IV." He nodded. Smiling softly as he looked at the other group away from them. They seemed to be playing tag if she could guess.

"Nice isn't? That they can relax and enjoy having fun like that." Shyvana didn't smile nor frowned at his words. Sighing instead.

"I wouldn't know. I am not into playing games." She heard the short laugh of her walking companion.

"Surely you joke. Everyone is into playing games, though what games they choose to play vary, come on, lets play a game ourselves." He used his cane to poke her leg. "Tag."

Shyvana looked in disbelief at what he did. Was he mocking her? She was rather bothered, but she still raised her arm, and stretched it to get him. To her surprise, he stepped back in the moment and she grasped air. Therefore, she took another step, and he stepped to the side. She blinked. Was she losing a game of tag against someone who used a cane to walk? With determination she kept moving, a step forward always answered with a step back. A fire burning in her chest the more she tried to get him. She was moving faster yet, it was as if he was always a step ahead of her.

"Surely you can do better? It would be ridiculous for someone who can barely walk to beat you at tag." Shyvana grunted in determination as she kept her rush, it was then she noticed something. The cane.

He was always moving to the side or back, but it was because he used the cane first to move. If she saw where the cane went, she would catch him! At her discovery, she stopped her assault and waited for the cane to move. It was then she noticed it was still, she tensed, preparing for any move. Soon the tense moment broke off when she heard the laugh of Cid.

"You caught on my trick. Thing is, what you are trying to do with my cane, I am doing it with your legs. So if you don't move, I won't move." He admitted his trick and she reacted instinctively and just pounced forward. Catching him by surprise as both fell in the soft grass.

"Tag!" Shyvana spoke in victory, only to feel a tap to the side of her head, courtesy of her opponent hand. "Tag." She blinked and just touched him again with her hand. "Tag!" A chuckle and she felt the same tap again. "Tag."

She couldn't get it how to win, because her focus faded, the red haired look and the fair skin she wore faded, turning into more draconian features, as her eyes changed and her skin too turned into scales. Shyvana noticed her changes and quickly jumped away from Cid. Knowing full well what was about to happen.

_Monster! She is a dragon! Death to the beast! She doesn't belong here!_

"Shyvana? Are you okay?" Cid took to stand and walked towards her. Shyvana stepped back and tried to move away from him. She was losing control… she could feel the red of her hair go away, and the last vestiges of fair skin disappearing as she took on her real form. Purple scales, hair of another tone, her eyes feral. The half-dragon showing her form.

She had been having fun… she forgot she wasn't allowed that right…

She stood up with dignity looking at Cid. If he would berate her, or call her names, she would face the insults with dignity of a royal guard… she wouldn't show weakness…

Not again.

"Amazing…" Shyvana sighed. She knew she was… what?

"What?" She asked with disbelief, surprise in her features.

"You are… no, you are not a Vastaya like Neeko… judging by your looks… I will guess… dragon?" Shyvana nodded.

"I am a half-dragon… you are not scared?" Cid shrugged.

"You are you right? What should I be afraid of?" As Cid spoke an invisible force tackled him. Shyvana was alarmed for a moment until said invisible force revealed itself, the friend he mentioned. Neeko.

"You two were having fun without Neeko! And you!" Neeko pointed at Shyvana who tensed for a moment at the look of the girl, who was approaching her… and smiling?

"Does dragon lady want to eat lunch with Neeko sometime, maybe?" Neeko smiled as she took the hands of Shyvana in her own, who meanwhile was confused.

"I, um… huh?" Neeko giggled and winked at Shyvana.

"I will take that as maybe." As Shyvana tried to think of what was happening, she saw Luxanna and Ezreal walking towards her. They focused on Cid, who was smiling at seeing Neeko and her.

He stood up and composed himself with help of the cane.

"Dragon lady?" Shyvana couldn't focus a lot on the others as she focused on Neeko.

"Why hide your face? You are pretty, like a dragon!" While many wouldn't take that as a compliment, Shyvana actually smiled at the fact someone found her real side… pretty.

"Thank you…" Shyvana smiled as she looked at the deceptively strong girl who had a firm grip on her hands. "Neeko… can you release me?" Said girl smiled.

"No."

* * *

"_Cid… that girl is hiding." Neeko pointed at the walking figure. He nodded. She looked… rather common for him, but if Neeko said she was hiding it was true._

"_Her Sho´ma is trying to keep itself hidden… maybe you can help her?" He nodded. _

"_I can try to make her show her true colors. But, you will be helping me. She is hiding, so she probably will need some support… think you can be supportive?" Cid asked as Neeko giggled._

"_Neeko can take her on a date? Her Sho´ma shows me she is pretty." Cid chuckled._

"_I guess you can."_

* * *

Cid knew Shyvana was hiding something when she tensed. She moved with tension. Tag was a game that would let him try to take away her tension and distract her mind. Which worked. He just didn't expected she was a half-dragon. Was it bad? Not at all, was it curious? For sure! But he would not pry… plus in a way, he was happy of seeing someone else go through Neeko physicality without being a victim of it.

It was then he felt a familiar sensation around his waist, and he was pulled towards Neeko and Shyvana, the first, whom let go of the hand of Shyvana so she could hug her two friends together.

"Ah, my friends! We should have some fun together, all three of us in a bed!" Cid face was widely red as he looked at Ezreal and Lux, both who were surprised of the statement of Neeko. Shyvana didn't blush, but her feet did scorch the grass under them.

"Is not what you think!" Cid spoke as Neeko laughed.

"It is exactly what you think! The three of us and lots of chocolate!" Lux face was red, and yet, she felt weirdly curious of seeing such a thing. Ezreal meanwhile was extremely surprised. Shyvana meanwhile was considering transforming and rushing away.

"I swear is not what you think!" Cid tried to explain.

"Is exactly what you think!" Neeko spoke with a mad smile in her face, and Cid knew it would be something long to explain.

An explanation later, apologies done, and a heavy, heavy apology towards Lux who said she didn't mind at all, Cid managed to save some face. However, Ezreal was skeptic.

"So you two… are not a couple?" Ezreal asked as he pointed at the two of them. Cid nodded, meanwhile, Neeko, who was still trapping one hand of Shyvana spoke.

"Co-´om Se-Henna. We are friends, we smile forever!" She said as she brought the embarrassed dragon close to her again.

"Is she always this physical?" Shyvana asked as she tried to push Neeko away, the girl was smitten it seemed. Shyvana always wanted to experience the things human did. Romance was one of them, but she was expecting something less… strong.

"You got no idea." Cid said, entertained at the scene.

"So, are you two on a vacation?" Lux asked as Cid negated with his head.

"Not really, I came here on a case. I will help someone with some personal issues. Then… I am off to the road again with Neeko." Neeko nodded.

"We will be taking Shyvana with us, yes? Neeko likes dragon lady." Cid chuckled as he motioned for Lux.

"Oh… well…" She noticed her friend distress. Still she found it fun. "I guess you can take her… but what would happen with Cid?" She asked and Neeko raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"What with Cid?" She asked curious.

"If you and Shyvana are together, wouldn't that leave him out?" Neeko eyes were wide open before she burst in laughter. It was so much her laughs that she released Shyvana who quickly moved closer to Lux. As if the blonde mage would keep her safe from the iron grip of Neeko.

"You think I would leave Cid out? Neeko heart is big, and his Sho´ma would easily let him hold many too in his heart. Neeko being with dragon lady doesn't take Neeko away. Rather, dragon lady gets closer with us." Neeko composed herself from the laughs and smiled kindly. "Say, Lux, wouldn't you like to join us? We can have Ezreal too, adds diversity… he is pretty so Cid would like it." At that comment, Ezreal and Cid looked at each other with surprise.

Ezreal then moved a bit farther from Cid who looked offended at that.

"Hey! I am not into men." Ezreal simply faked he didn't hear the words of Cid and looked away as Lux giggled. She took a tuff of Ezreal hair and giggled.

"We could work with his hair; Ez could look pretty cute in the right hands." Ezreal flushed red, but before he could defend himself, he found his face cupped by soft hands, as he looked at the owner of said hands he was surprised to see Cid who winked at him, his rather feminine features surprising him. Ezreal let out an undignified sound and blinked away.

With the distance, he saw Cid in his spot. Moreover, Cid in… Neeko.

Everyone laughed as Ezreal grunted and went back to his place. Neeko coming back to her original form and patting Ezreal in the back.

"Did seeing Cid so close made your heart beat faster?" Ezreal huffed and refused to answer her as she giggled. "I wouldn't blame you if it did. My heart always beats happy when I am with my Co-´om Se-Henna." The words of Neeko made Ezreal flush in embarrassment. His heart didn't beat any faster…

Lux meanwhile looked slightly down for a second, Cid noticing this decided to try to have a moment with her.

"Say Neeko, why don't you show Ezreal and Shyvana some of your talents?" Neeko beamed in excitement, also catching what he wanted; quickly she took to drag both Shyvana and Ezreal, leaving behind Lux and Cid.

"Well. You are smarter than Ezreal by a long road. So… will you tell me what got you down?" Cid asked in a professional tone as Lux was surprised he noticed.

"I just… I guess I am jealous." She went ahead with his invitation; she decided it wouldn't be wise to try to play circles around him. Not when it was obvious, he was an expert on that.

"Jealous of what?" Cid asked. He had an idea based on all he learned of Demacia plus what he knew of Lux from Ezreal.

"You two… you seem so free, so happy… you two can be yourselves without any sort of worry. Why can you two do that? What gives you that freedom?" She seemed angry for a moment, and Cid could swear light came from her closed fists.

"… Not being in Demacia for starters." Lux raised an eyebrow at his comment and he took it a sign to go on.

"Why should I be afraid of being myself? I know myself. Moreover, I can't hide from myself. Wherever I go, I will always be Cid. There is no one else I will be… and that's more than fine. I like being me. Do you like being yourself Luxanna?" He asked with her full name, knowing well the answer.

"Its Lux… and yes. I like when I can be myself, when I don't need to suppress my power, or go around faking. I like Ezreal visits exactly for that. He won't judge me for being me… Shyvana doesn't for that matter… Galio is nice too. You have not meet him, but he is also… like us." She motioned towards them and Cid raised an eyebrow.

"Us?" Lux nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, weird beings, out of the norm. I mean, Neeko is this unique Vastaya, Shyvana is a half-dragon, Ezreal is… Ezreal. You are a man that honestly looks to pretty to be a man. No offense." Cid motioned there was none. "And me…" Cid motioned for her to answer the question.

Who was her.

"… I am a mage. I am light." She smiled as she opened her hand revealing a small sphere of light that went away.

"Well. Is good you can be open, but let me tell you right now, is not healthy to keep stuff in. try to open up more often." He smiled as she looked with curiosity.

"Through life you know there will be problems. At every turn and every corner there can be a new problem that will come to try to stop you or inconvenience you. The thing on problems is they are everywhere, they come in many shapes and forms, and one could try to run away from their problems for the rest of their life and would get nowhere… because you can't run eternally from them, nor you can run from yourself… Say Lux. How many people now you don't like the customs of magic on Demacia?" He asked with curiosity and wasn't surprised at the long sigh of the smart girl.

"Shyvana, Galio… Sylas." Cid had heard of Sylas and his movement. He didn't know much, but enough was mentioned between travelers that the man was dangerous.

"Two out of three. Not bad." Lux groaned as she let her hands go to her face.

"I can't believe I was… so stupid as to trust him." Cid chuckled approaching her and patting her in the back.

"You weren't stupid… I would dare say you really wanted your friendship with him to work, maybe… so much that you blinded yourself from the truth. Is nothing new, and you won't be the last one who goes through that." Lux looked at him with curiosity.

"Is this your way to make me feel better? Cause it isn't working." Her eyes looked down for a moment as he laughed and she got angry.

"The point isn't to make you feel better. The point is for you to know that what you went through is not weird. We like to look for the best in people. So much at times, that we miss the warning signals. You shouldn't feel bad Lux. Instead of having, a self-pity party… be glad. You got out of that situation much wiser, is in failure where we learn the most." Lux sighed before a smile broke in her face and she started laughing.

"You… you truly suck at this." She laughed, she laughed as she felt tears of relief coming through her eyes. She never had the chance to truly admit her failure, or consider the learning that came from it.

To know that it was something so common. It helped her.

Garen reaction had been anything but kind; many looked at her with disappointment and some others with accusation, and as if she wanted to cause the chaos that resulted of Sylas actions. To be told by someone, even if it was someone she just met, that it was okay to make a mistake, a mistake that anyone would commit, it brought a huge sense of relief to her. Cid turned his back away and took to stroll a bit alone, in his opinion; Lux deserved to have some privacy with her tears.

As he walked away, he couldn't avoid thinking there was a grade of truth in the words of Lux. He did suck at helping others without making them feel sad or cry before they felt better. His job was one that demanded to bring the truth, something that wasn't always nice.

But just as he said to Neeko. It was much better people went to him for answers rather than a bottle. He had seen first-hand what the excess of anything could bring. Everything in excess was bad… even too much of the good was bad…

Well… maybe there was something one could never had too much…

Something he had recently come to enjoy.

"Cid! Shyvana can become a full dragon! You got to see it!" Neeko screams made him laugh as he walked at her direction.

That's what Cid could never have too much of.

Good moments. There was never one dull moment with Neeko… and judging by the time, he guessed it was better he enjoyed it the moments as much as he could, because he doubted Sona would be thrilled they escaped through a window…

"Cid! Come here!"

Still. Cid smiled as he walked with his cane, already seeing the dragon blowing fire upwards, surprising Ezreal who yelped at seeing the burst of flame Shyvana could release.

"I am walking over there Neeko!" He laughed as he walked at the waving girl.

"Faster! Shyvana said is not something she can keep long!" She laughed as she kept amazed at looking at the dragon.

Cid thought that worrying could wait. Now. Was the time to make fond memories.

He had more than enough time to worry and overthink later, now he just wanted to see if he could make Ezreal scream again.

* * *

**I'm back. So. 2020 eh? Quite the year we are having. I hope all of you are okay… times are hard. But don't let that stop you of trying to do your best. There is never a good moment, so might as well make even the hardest of moments into the moment you want. Stay safe everyone. **


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